Château Puy-Blanquet Château Puy-Blanquet

Saint-Émilion, France

Vintage:2017 (Current)

2011 (Past) | 2012 (Past) | 2014 (Past) | 2015 (Past) | 2016 (Current) | 2018 (Current)

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Château Puy-Blanquet  Château Puy-Blanquet  2017
  • WS 90
  • JR 16/20

Reviews

Wine Spectator 90 Points March 31, 2020, James Molesworth

“Sleek and pure, with cassis and cherry fruit racing along, showing light lilac, iron and savory nuances. Features a piercing, fresh feel through the chalk-tinged finish. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2021 through 2029.”

JancisRobinson.com 16/20 Points April 9, 2018, Julia Harding MW

“Mid crimson. Light peppery nose. Super-fresh fruit with just a hint of coffee and oak sweetness. Sweet tannins, good balance, finely built.”

Overview

Overlooking the Dordogne valley in the heart of Saint-Etienne de Lisse, Château Puy-Blanquet has northern and eastern blocks that enjoy the morning sunshine. There are 49.42 acres of planted vines on soils of clay and chalk.

Château Puy-Blanquet was known as one of the best Saint-Émilion Grand Crus as early as the 19th century, and was awarded a part of the collective gold medal bestowed upon a selection of Saint-Émilion chateaux at the Paris Exposition of 1889.

Today, the vineyard is owned by the Jacquet family and managed by Pierre Meunier, who was trained by Ets. Jean-Pierre Moueix.

Winemaking

A respect for tradition and quality is what makes Puy-Blanquet special. Instead of following the trend, vineyard manager Pierre Meunier has continued plowing the soils to ensure optimal maturity of the fruit. Green harvesting, leaf cropping and harvesting are done by hand.

Tasting Notes

The wines are fresh and generous and can be enjoyed after just a two or three years of cellaring.

Harvest Notes

The winter of 2016-2017 was dry and sunny. The spring was the third warmest since 1900, with the notable exception of a few cold nights the 27th and 28th of April which resulted in frost damage to certain low-lying terroirs. The summer was marked by persistent dry conditions (annual rainfall was 30% lower than average) and a few heat waves. The clay and limestone soils of Château Puy-Blanquet, natural hydric regulators, provided a steady water supply to the vines throughout the drought. Welcome rain in early September rounded out the maturation of the grapes and confirmed the good quality of the vintage. Upon tasting, the berries were gorged with sugar yet fresh at the same time, with intense aromas of small black and blue fruit; the thick skins were rich in soft tannins.

Technical Information

Varietals: 100% Merlot

Aging: 12 months partly in oak barrels (10% new)