Château Bourgneuf Château Bourgneuf

Pomerol, France

Vintage:2016 (Past)

2014 (Past) | 2015 (Past) | 2017 (Past) | 2018 (Current) | 2019 (Current)

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Château Bourgneuf Château Bourgneuf 2016
  • WA 94
  • D 93
  • WS 92
  • V 91

Reviews

Wine Spectator

92 Points

March 31, 2019, James Molesworth

“Fleshy, round and brimming with succulent cassis, raspberry and cherry compote flavors, delivering a big ball of fruit without being top-heavy, as light apple wood, rooibos tea and anise notes add cut and range on the finish. Best from 2022 through 2034.”

Vinous Media

91 Points

January 2019, Antonio Galloni

“The 2016 Bourgneuf is savory and lifted in its expression. Medium in body, gracious and light on its feet, the 2016 has a lot to offer. Grilled herbs, rose petal, mint and sweet red berry fruit are laced together in this super-expressive Pomerol.”

The Wine Advocate

94 Points

November 30, 2018, Lisa Perrotti-Brown

“The 2016 Bourgneuf is composed of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. Medium garnet-purple colored, it opens with very pretty notions of crushed red cherries, blackberry pie, wild blueberries and potpourri plus hints of tapenade, camphor and tobacco leaf. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers a great intensity of perfumed black fruits, framed by rounded tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and perfumed.”

Decanter

93 Points

October 11, 2018, Jane Anson

“This was extremely subdued when tasted at en primeur, but the way it's nudging forward is extremely promising. Lush fruit appears on the attack and right on through the-mid palate, before you are pulled up hard on the finish by the strength of the tannins, suggesting a long life ahead and a patient wait before it's fully ready. Things are softened by a creamy caramel note coming in as things open in the glass, which keeps you enjoyably engaged with the wine.”

Overview

Owned by the Vayron family since 1821, this lovely vineyard is situated in the heart of Pomerol’s most prestigious terroirs, with Château Trotanoy as its neighbor. Since 2008, the wine is made by the youngest Vayron to join the family venture, Frédérique, the daughter of current owners Xavier and Dominique.

Formed by a gentle, sloping plot, the west-facing vineyard enjoys ideal sun exposure, thanks to which some of its parcels were spared from the great frost of 1956. 

Situated in one of the warmest parts of Pomerol, Château Bourgneuf produces wines that are deep and dense, layered and complex, with perfectly rounded tannins. The wine’s ripe fruit aromas make it seductive when young, but a few years of cellaring are strongly rewarded.

Winemaking

The merlot and cabernet franc vines, of an average age of 40 years, are planted on gravelly clay enhanced by an iron-rich subsoil. The vineyard is maintained traditionally and conscientiously throughout the year. Vinification takes place in thermo-regulated concrete tanks, and aging is carried out in oak barrels (35% new) for 12-14 months. 

Tasting Notes

Nose of ripe red fruit with slightly toasted evident oak. Very concentrated, powerful, warm palate marked by oak tannins.

Harvest Notes

The 2016 climatic year was composed of two distinct parts. First, a cool and wet spring with record rainfall (259 mm from April to June, compared to 108 mm during the same period in 2015). A short break from the rain in May allowed for a quick and even flowering. The weather shifted in mid-June, giving way to clear skies and warm temperatures through mid-september.

The warm, dry weather that set in over the summer resulted in drought conditions, but vineyards planted on water-retentive soils, such as the deep clay of Pomerol, fared well. The vegetative cycle slowed over the summer months, but rain in mid-september allowed the grapes to reach full maturity.

At harvest, the berries were crunchy, gorged with sugar yet fresh at the same time, with intense notes of black fruit, the skins redolent with mild tannins, the seeds crisp.

Technical Information

Varietals: 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc