Château Caronne Ste Gemme

Situated 500 metres from St Julien, adjacent to Château Gruaud Larose and Château Lascombes, this property is blessed with some very fine vineyards producing fruit worthy of Classes Growth status delivering outstanding value for money. In 2013 Francois Nony installed a new winemaking team, including Olivier Seze and Bruno Sauquet (previously at Montrose) to take this Château to the next level. This has proved to be a great decision.

François Nony was amazed by the quality of fruit at harvest time. The berries were rich and ripe, with structured Cabernet Sauvignon, voluptuous Merlot and particularly harmonious Petit Verdot. A vibrant violet bouquet, intense and powerful, the palate oozes ripe black berry fruits with hints of sweet tobacco, a touch of pencil lead and finely integrated oak. The tannins are polished and the finish highly focused. A beautiful wine showing great poise and balance.

Sirloin of beef served pink with roast potatoes. Yummy!

The grapes are destemmed, then slightly crushed and put into stainless steel fermentation vats which are thermo-regulated. Fermentation is led at the temperature of 26/28° Celsius with light “over the top” pumping for a soft extraction of the skins. The maceration can last three weeks. The wine ageing of 12 months is made exclusively in French barrels of 225 lt, of which 25% are renewed each year. The wine is fined and finally bottled at the vineyard 20 months after the harvest.

(J. Suckling: 91-92 points)