Chateau Les Grands Chenes Medoc 2018

Medoc, Bordeaux, France James Suckling 93 points! Wine Advocate 91, Decanter 92, Vinous 90, Jeb Dunnuck 90! Chateau Les Grands Chenes Medoc is a beautiful red Bordeaux from Bernard Magrez of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from the Medoc appellation. The vines of Château Les Grands Chênes are located in Saint-Christoly Médoc, a small town once famous for its port, still echoing with the sound of barrels being rolled along the docks. Ideally situated on a beautiful hilltop of Garonne gravel, the vineyard flourishes on this high-quality terroir. Château Les Grands Chênes is a well-kept secret, shared by connoisseurs keen to discover great wines. In the 1980s, Bernard Magrez’s decision to focus on top-end wine estates proved a crucial turning point in his career. His first acquisition was Château Pape Clément, the famous Graves Grand Cru Classé, which had been classified for some thirty years by then. Next came Château Fombrauge, a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé; Château La Tour Carnet, a Médoc Grand Cru Classé since 1855; then, among another eighteen renowned wine estates in France, Clos Haut Peyraguey, a Sauternes Premier Grand Cru Classé. It proved a four-fold masterstroke and made him the only person to own four prestigious wine estates at the same time. “Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 les Grands Chênes comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant notes of stewed black plums, warm cassis and boysenberries, plus suggestions of pencil shavings, wild sage and crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate is packed with energetic, crunchy black fruits, supported by fine-grained tannins and tons of freshness, finishing with a compelling herbal lift. Drink 2022-2036.”— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 90 points! “You feel the warmth of the summer in the texture and the character of the fruit here, but it has been extremely well handled, and there's a sense of lift alongside the Magrez signature glamour. Plush damson fruits demonstrate its ambition and sense of forward motion, with a flourish of oak edging. This takes its time and is chewy on the finish. Harvested 24 September to 11 October. Michel Rolland consults.”—Decanter 91 points! Enjoy Château Les Grands Chenes Medoc over the next 10-12 years with roast duck, veal, ratatouille, and cheeses.