L'expression du Château La Croix Lartigue, Côtes de Castillon , Stéphane Derenoncourt 2012

Stéphane Derenoncourt, Bordeaux

“It is fashionable nowadays for winemakers to talk of putting terroir into the bottle but the instinctive Derenoncourt is more convincing than most that he actually does it.” Jancis Robinson, Purple Pages of JancisRobinson.com May 2004

Stéphane Derenoncourt began working in the vineyard at the age of 19, becoming proficient in all aspects of vine work. When he became the cellar master at Château Pavie-Macquin, he was able to put his vine knowledge to use by making exceptional wines. He also acted as a consultant for many leading properties, as he continues to do today, with great sensitivity and a belief in the sacrosanct nature of wines to evoke their own specific terroir and individuality. Stéphane’s consultant venture ‘Derenoncourt Consultants’ embodies a new generation of consultancy in viticulture and wine-making. Their philosophy is that there is no such thing as a ‘petit vin’. With a broad palette of clients, a huge amount of investment and a great deal of hard work, they are able to showcase many lesser-known terroirs, producing exceptional wines, each with a distinct personality. Stéphane’s personal property, Domaine de l’A, is a 10 hectares estate planted to Merlot (80%) and Cabernet Franc (20%) at Sainte-Colombe, to the east of St Emilion in the Côtes de Castillon.

Côtes de Castillon ‘Château La Croix Lartigue’: Organic practices. Manual harvest. Fermentation via natural yeast in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks. 16 months in 30% new barrels, 30% ‘one wine’ barrels and 30% ‘two wines’ barrels. Unfined, unfiltered.

Aromas of ripe black plums, blackcurrants, blackberries, anise and an underlying smokiness that adds intrigue and complexity. Earthy and savoury on the finish, it is extremely well-structured with firm tannins and a fresh acidity cutting through the full body.

Grapes: 70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc