Château La Croix Lartigue Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux 2019

Product description

Château La Croix Lartigue 2019 comes from the southern slopes of Castillon, where clay-limestone and clay-gravel form the basis for an elegant and mineral wine style. The more than 40-year-old vines grow on a sustainably managed 8-hectare vineyard, where no herbicides are used and natural plantings nourish and aerate the soil. The growing season was marked by extreme conditions: an exceptionally hot and dry winter, followed by an early vine awakening, pushed back by spring frosts. The summer was hot and dry, but careful vineyard management and late September rains finally brought balance and ripening. Harvesting took place entirely by hand from 3 October 2019.

In the cellar, whole bunches and pigeage were chosen, with malolactic fermentation in both vats and cuves. The wine matured for 12 months on the lees in barriques, followed by 12 months of further refinement in tanks. The blend consists of 55 per cent cabernet franc and 45 per cent merlot, resulting in a wine with aromatic layering, power and finesse. In total, only 6,522 bottles and 60 magnums were produced, giving this vintage a particularly exclusive and artisanal character.

Château La Croix Lartigue 2019 opens with floral notes of rose and an intense ruby red colour. On oxygen, aromas of small red fruits, spices and cedar unfold. The texture is silky, while the fresh acidity provides length and tension. The fine, salty tannins reflect the chalky plateau on which the vines stand. Awarded multiple gold medals and high ratings, including 92 points from James Suckling, this wine shows an exceptional expression of cabernet franc in Castillon. The wine can be drunk from 2025 and retains its elegance and depth until at least 2030.