Château Belgrave 5ème Grand Cru Classé 2014, Haut-Médoc

Château Belgrave had a fine reputation as a hunting pavilion during the reign of Louis XIV. The link between the Cru and hunting is still in evidence today, symbolised by a ferret featuring on the label.
In 1815, the estate’s wines were in the first classification of Bordeaux. In 1855, the estate was classified as a 5th growth.
This large, classic estate is considered to be among the finest in Medoc. The estate consists of 59 hectares situated on the limit of the Saint-Julien appellation. An exceptional terroir made up of deep stones, ideal for creating great Cabernet fruit. Sharing all the same characteristics as its neighbour, world famous Château Lagrange, the two properties are only separated by a stream.

Grape

66% Cabernet Sauvignon – 32% Merlot -2% Petit Verdot

Vineyard & Vinification Note

HVE3 and Terra Vitis certified (High environmental value certificates)

The soils at Château Belgrave show remarkable diversity. Two hillocks made up of gravel and pebbles deposited thousands of years ago by the Garonne river, overlying a bed of clay, rise to 23 and 26 metres. This type of soil is favourable to late-ripening grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and also Petit-Verdot, which now covers 4% of the surface area following remodelling of the vineyard. The gravel thins towards the foot of the hillocks, where the soil is a combination of gravel and sand offering good drainage, and clay outcrops, which are particularly adapted to the cultivation of Merlot. A significant amount of work is carried out in the vineyard to ensure optimum quality of the grapes. Increasing the planting density per hectare to 10,000 hectares across 75% of the vineyard and increasing the canopy area moderates yields and improves the concentration of the grapes. The cultivation regime combined with sustainable plant protection throughout the growing cycle is then tailored to the mapping, including pruning methods, bud stripping, suckering, leaf plucking and cover planting.

 Vintage 2014:

After a promising start to the year, a dull, gloomy summer meant ripening got off to a slow start. Any worries were lifted towards the end of August with the arrival of exceptional, lasting weather conditions. While the quality of the vintage owes a great deal to the excellent late-season, a vintage of this quality would not be possible without considerable work in the vineyards earlier in the season to ensure pristine quality in the vines and stunning fruit. The grapes ripened steadily throughout September and October against the backdrop of a superb Indian summer. Harvesting stretched calmly over three weeks, allowing the grapes to reach optimum ripeness. Gentle vinifications enabled the grapes to express their full potential, while controlled extractions ensured the perfect harmony of body, fruit and structure in the different parcels, and highly expressive Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot

Harvest : Merlot : 25^th September to 10^th October Cabernet Sauvignon : 8^th to 16^th October  Petit Verdot: 8^th to 13^th October

AGEING : In oak barrels, 42% of which are new, during 12 months

BOTTLED : June 2016

Tasting Note

Dark and concentrated in appearance. The complex bouquet is bursting with harmonious notes of cedar, liquorice and mint, and develops notes of dark fruits, of cherry and blackcurrant. Creamy and velvety on the attack, the wine is enshrouded in a concentrated, smooth tannic structure. The intensity of the subtle vanilla-edged fruit accompanies the lengthy finish of this Chateau Belgrave with its typically Saint-Julien-esque elegance. Frédéric Bonnaffous, Dourthe Estates Director

James Suckling

Black fruit but also some chocolate and spices on the nose. This is quite a rich and fleshy wine that’s built on a bigger scale than most of the wines of this appellation. The finish is simultaneously rich and dry. 92 Points, February 2017 

Wine Advocate

The 2014 Belgrave, which has been owned by Dourthe since 1979, has a backward, cedar and woodland-scented bouquet with hints of cold stone percolating through the black fruit with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, well integrated oak and a sense of harmony and composure towards the finish that just needs to lose a little nascent hardness. This is a well-made Belgrave to enjoy over the next decade. 89 Points, Neal Martin, March 2017

Wine Spectator

Ripe and fresh, with a solid beam of raspberry and cassis fruit that streams through, carried by light but persistent structure and backed by hints of anise and juniper. Solid. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2020. 17,000 cases made,120 cases imported. 89 Points, James Molesworth, February 2017

Food Pairing

Perfectly matches red grilled or in sauce meat (roasted quails, beef fillet, rack of lamb with vegetables, duckling casserole, beef medallion with carrots and onions, spit hind), game (rolled fillet of hare with olives, roasted pheasant, pigeon in red sauce…), mature cheeses (cantal vieux, mimolette, gouda, Saint Nectaire, Salers, Morbier