Chateau Charmail, Haut Medoc

£19.35

18 in stock

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Description

Chateau Charmail is a vineyard located in the Haut Medoc wine-growing region which consists of one single plot of vines comprising 27.5 hectares. It is located on the banks of the Gironde River in the commune of Saint Seurin de Cadourne, next door to Saint Estephe. The riverside location makes for milder temperatures and shelters the vines from really hard frosts in the winter.

The origins of Chateau Charmail can be traced back to the 16th Century when the Trevey de Charmail family, a noble Breton family, settled here. In 1982, the estate was purchased by Olivier Sèze who suceeded in making the Chateau one of the most dependable an recognisable Haut Medoc estates. In 2008 the property was bought by Bernard D’Halluin who enlarged the vineyard area by 6 hectares and introduced new winery buildings and renovations. Barnard is joined by his daughter Marie, who manages promotion and marketing for the chateau, and Olivier Sèze remains consultant oenologist.

The soil type at Chateau Charmail is gravelly clay and the vines are planted Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot with an average age of 30 years old. The percentage of Petit Verdot was increased with the new plantings in 2010. Increasing the quantity of Petit Verdot adds appealing spicy hints, which are rare in the Medoc. Respect for the environment is important at the estate. The soil around the vines is ploughed, then flattened hoed making it easier for the vines to develop deep root systems that enable them to resist hydric stress better. No herbicides are pesticides are used. The vineyard plantings are  48% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

The grapes for Chateau Charmail are harvested by hand, sorted on sorted tables at the winery and from then the grapes are only moved around the winery by gravity. The grapes undergo a period of cold skin maceration so that all the components from the grape skins are released to ensure an optimal tannin structure in the wines. The wine is matured for 12 months in French oak barrels, a third of which are new.

Chateau Charmail was classified as a Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel in the 2020 Cru Bourgeois Classification.

Tasting Notes

Chateau Charmail has a good, clear dark red colour. There are aromas of blackberry, mature fruits, hints of leather and smoke. The palate has flavours of more dark fruits, blackcurrant, cherries and wild berry fruit. There is also a touch of vanilla. Very well-balanced with fine tannins, good grippy acidity and a long bright finish.

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