younger vines, 25-30 years old, this cuvee blends fruit from the gravel/sandy soils of the Macau (which provides minerality and earthiness) with the clay-dominant terroir of the Arsac (powerful fruit)
young vines in Macau, a fresher Margaux.
from the importer:
Michel Theron wasn't supposed to be making Haut-Medoc. Originally from the Languedoc Roussillon, when he went to Bordeaux to study winemaking in 1988, the plan he had in mind was to go back to the family estate and take over. It never happened. Instead, he fell in love with a Bordelaise, and in 1994, the couple produced their first wine from a small parcel in Cantenac they bought in 1993.
Today the estate has developed to a little over 7 hectares in Arsac, Cantenac, and Margaux. Classic Medoc soil with a lot of small gravels and sand, Michel is a firm believer in organic/biodynamic viticulture, converting officially with the 2008 vintage. The vineyards are plowed, the ecosystem is taken care of, and Michel has never used synthetic products in the vineyards.
The gravels and sandy soil of Macau, with very little clay, tend to bring very mineral, terroir driven fruits, while the Terroir of Arsac, with more clay, tend to bring more fruits. Michel is here to make sure the balance between the terroirs make sense in the wines. The end result is classic, age worthy, Traditional Medoc of a kind we had previously been disposed to think was extinct.
We are very glad that Michel has proved us wrong on that point, because these are some of the most exciting wines we work with, and among the group of wines that we drink the most of ourselves.
long and complex, indestructible, captivating, but also restrained, black cherry, plum, earth undertones, graphite, black pepper, smoke, and the classic gravel-like minerality famous in good Medoc, memorable finish. A must for any left bank fan. thoughtful and refined.
decant for several hours and pair with a hearty meal or can be cellared for 10-20+ years.
region: Medoc, Left Bank Bordeaux, France
varietal: 55% Merlot & 45% Cabernet Sauvignon
style: powerful red
farming/cellar: organic & biodynamic farming, hand picked, ambient yeast, whole bunch inclusion, 7-10 day maceration in concrete, matured one year in a combo of diff. sized oak barrels incl. barrique, 400L, and foudre (50% new wood), minimal so2
pairing: Cote de Boeuf for two