Tête de Cuvée
Château La Grolet Chateau Tête de Cuvée Tete de Cuvee
Château La Grolet
Tête de Cuvée
The Hubert family own and farm two nearby vineyards, Château Peybonhomme-les-Tours in the Côtes de Blaye, and Château La Grolet to the south in the Côtes de Bourg. Both of these Right Bank Estates are farmed biodynamically. The Côtes de Bourg is a beautiful landscape of rolling hills that are sometimes referred to as the 'little Switzerland of the Gironde'. Here, the gravel-rich terroir makes for a more firmly structured red than its Côtes de Blaye sibling (Peybonhomme).
Château La Grolet is a 17th-century manor house at the bottom of a valley surrounded by its 50-hectare estate, including 38 hectares of vines. The Hubert family acquired the estate in 1997 and began its conversion to biodynamics, with Demeter certification coming in 2000. Tête de Cuvée blends 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Malbec from 55 year old vines. Made with native fermentation with very low sulphite additions, this aged for a year in new French oak barrels. Crunchy plum, tight cassis, fragrant dark florals, and crushed gravels is threaded with graphite, and wrapped with furry and sticky tannins, guiding this to a savoury, crushed floral and nutmeg finish. Quite strict upon opening, give this a decant and a roast veg and/or lamb dish.
“This biodynamically produced blend includes 85% merlot, 10% cabernet sauvignon and 5% malbec. It's quite charming and energized with lifted aromas of raspberry/red plum, fresh cedar, thyme and almost cinnamon-like wood spice. It is medium weight with lively acidity, balanced alcohol (even at 14.5%) with fine, drying tannin. The length is excellent. A bit pricy for Cotes de Bourg historically, but quite appealing. Tasted Feb 2024.” - 92 points, David Lawrason, WineAlign.com
“Many underrated Bordeaux from “satellite” Bordeaux appellations and none more than from the Côtes De Bourg just below the Blaye, right there along and abutting the Gironde estuary. At this price and level the concentration and complexities multiply into an echelon that exults Merlot which incidentally comprises 85 percent of this 2019. Then there are the increasingly important percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon (10) and to a lesser but still important Malbec which elaborates the juicy and fruity quality of the wine. Structure is tops here, for what led to that point and then beyond. Drink 2025-2030. Tasted February 2024.” - 92 points, Michael Godel, WineAlign.com
Read more about Château La Grolet here.
Vintage: 2019
Bottle Size: 750 mL
Bottles per Case: 6
Price per Bottle: $51
Style: Still
Region: Bordeaux
Appellation: AOC Côtes de Bourg
Country: France
Grape: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec
Colour: Red
Vegan: Yes
Organic: Yes
Biodynamic: Yes
Natural: No
Low Intervention: Yes
