Region : Pomerol
Grapes : 95% Merlot , 5% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol:
Website: https://www.ugcb.net/en/chateau-la-croix-de-gay
🏅 James Suckling 93 pts
🏅 Wine Advocate 90 pts
🏅 Vinous 90 pts
Chateau La Croix de Gay History
Chateau La Croix de Gay has a long history in the Pomerol appellation. But the owners of the vineyard, the Raynaud-Lebreton family have an even longer history in Bordeaux dating back to 1477!
The official estate dates back to at least the mid-1800s as wine was produced from the vineyard in 1772.
Later in the 19th century, the property was known to have produced not only their own wine but for some reason, the wine of Chateau Certan de May was also made at the property for a period of time.
Chateau La Croix de Gay was one of the first Pomerol properties to bottle at least some of their production at the estate. This took place in the mid to late 1800s! From that point forward, through small purchases from other vineyards, La Croix de Gay slowly grew in size.
However, the modern era for Chateau La Croix de Gay begins in the late 1960s, when the owners obtained land that was being used for the production of Pignon de Gay.
In the 1970s, the future consultant Alain Raynaud, who was born at the estate began to take part in the production of the wine.
While Alain Raynaud maintained an increasing role at La Croix de Gay, the property was managed by his father, Noel Raynaud until his death in 1997. In time, Alain Raynaud would sell his interests in La Fleur de Gay and La Croix de Gay.
Today, the estate remains in the hands of the Raynaud and Lebreton families. Starting in 1998, Chantal Lebreton took over managing the estate and the winemaking after her father Noel Raynaud passed away.
Over the years, like many estates in the Right Bank, the vineyard has changed in size. Most recently, it’s becoming smaller.
The first significant change took place in 1982 when they began producing La Fleur de Gay from the estate’s oldest vines located in a 3-hectare parcel with deep gravel and clay soils in their vineyard. In 2012, the estate sold a large portion of their vineyards to the owners of Chateau L’Evangile.
Located in the northern portion of the Pomerol appellation, Chateau La Croix de Gay has good neighbors. The Right Bank chateau is located not too far from Chateau Clinet or LEglise Clinet on the Pomerol plateau.
In 1997 the estate modernized its wine-making facilities and added temperature-controlled vats. In June 2012, the owners of Chateau Lafite Rothschild purchased 6 hectares of vines from La Croix de Gay allowing them to expand the holdings of Chateau L’Evangile.
The owners of Chateau La Croix de Gay built a new cellar for the fermentation and vinification of their wine that was completed in 2015.
Chateau La Croix de Gay Vineyards
The 4.2-hectare vineyard of Chateau La Croix de Gay is planted to 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc. This shows a change in the vineyard as now you find more Cabernet Franc planted here.
The vineyard is divided into 10 separate parcels. The terroir is gravel, sand, and clay soils. The vines are on average close to 30 years of age. The vineyard is planted to a vine density of 5,000 vines per hectare.
The wine of Chateau La Croix de Gay is vinified in 10, tulip-shaped, temperature-controlled, concrete vats that correspond to their 10 parcels of vines. Malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of French oak barrels and tanks.
The wine of Chateau La Croix de Gay is aged in 50% new, French oak barrels for an average of 18 months. There is a second wine, which is not made every year, Commandeur de Croix de Gay. On average, close to 1,600 cases of wine are produced each vintage.
🏅 James Suckling 93 pts
Dark fruits, with black olives and aged cedar on the nose. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and chocolate, toasted oak and vanilla undertones. Give it time to come together.
🏅 Wine Advocate 90 pts
A blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc from this well-situated vineyard on the plateau of Pomerol, which is owned by Chantal Lebreton, this wine has 13.5% alcohol, somewhat low in this vintage, but it displays plenty of kirsch, sweet cherries and red currants along with some sandy/loamy soil and roasted herb notes in a very sexy, up-front, lush, medium to full-bodied style. There’s not a hard edge to be found in this La Croix de Gay, and therefore my feeling is that it should be drunk in its first 10-12 years of life.
🏅 Vinous 90 pts
Outer quote mark The 2009 La Croix de Gay has a slightly bretty bouquet, though not so much that it obscures the fruit profile. It just seems a little feral. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, savory in style with dried blood and sage towards the pretty and quite precise finish. Drink now and over the next decade. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting. (NM) Inner quote mark (3/2019)
$495/bottle
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