Chateau de Pressac 2018 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classe 《Terroir Collection - TF1078B》

Region : Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classe

Grapes : 71% Merlot，16% Cabernet Franc，9% Cabernet Sauvignon，2% Malbec，2% Carmenere

Alcohol : 14.5% vol

Website: https://chateaudepressac.com/en/LeTemps

⭐️ Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classe

🏅 James Suckling 93 pts

🏅 Wine Advocate 93 pts

🏅 Vinous 90 pts

🏅 Vivino 4.2

The history of Chateau de Pressac today started several hundred years ago, during the Medieval time period. At first, the property was used as a fortress.

In 1453, following the Battle of Castillon which ended the Hundred Years War, the official treaties were signed at Chateau de Pressac. At the time, the estate was a castle, complete with a moat and drawbridge, which is where the design for the modern-day chateau took its inspiration from. As you can see, there is a lot of history connected to this vineyard.

As a working vineyard in St. Emilion, Chateau de Pressac dates back to at least 1737 when the owner at the time began planting a popular grape called Auxerrois. In time the name of the grape was grape changed to Pressac. Pressac was better known by its complete formal name for the variety at the time, Noir de Pressac.

During those days, Pressac, was a popular grape for the Bordeaux appellation, especially in the Right Bank. In time, the grape once again changed names Malbec. Of course, Chateau Pressac took its name from the original French term for Malbec, the grape that was planted at the estate in its formative years.

Chateau de Pressac the Modern Era

Jean Francois Quenin purchased Chateau de Pressac in 1997. Because the vineyards were allowed to become dilapidated by the previous owner, Jean-Francois Quenin was forced to replant the majority of the vineyard. He also invested a large sum of money in rebuilding and modernizing their winemaking facilities.

Jean Francois Quenin changed how the grapes were harvested, moving from machine picking to manual harvesting. All this work is really starting to pay off as the wines have continued improving year, after year. 2015 and 2016 are both, strong, top-level vintages for Chateau Pressac.

Aside from being the owner of a classified Saint Emilion estate, Jean Francois Quenin, is one of the busier people in the Right Bank wine world today. Not only is he the President of the Union of Saint Emilion, Pomerol, and Fronsac, he’s President of the St. Emilion Wine Council and if that wasn’t enough, he’s also the Vice President of the Cercle de Rive Droite!

Chateau de Pressac Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking

The 42 hectare St. Emilion vineyard of Chateau de Pressac is planted to 69% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.5% Malbec, 1.5% Carmenere, and 1% Malbec.

The terroir is split into two separate soil types, which can be further divided into 3 distinct blocks. On the plateau, you find more limestone. On the slopes, there is a stronger concentration of clay with limestone soil.

The vineyard is planted to a vine density ranging from 5,500 to 6,000 vines per hectare. The vineyard is located in the Saint Etienne de Lisse commune, not far from Valandraud, Chateau Faugeres and Chateau Fleur Cardinale.

Chateau de Pressac is vinified in cube shaped, concrete vats. Everything in the cellar is moved by gravity. The wine is aged in 65% new, French oak barrels for an average of 12 months before bottling.

🏅 James Suckling 93 pts

Dried currants, blueberries, lavender, walnuts and sweet tobacco on the nose. It’s medium-to-full bodied with firm, silky tannins. Crushed stone, too. Elegant and flavorful. 

🏅 Wine Advocate 93 pts

Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 de Pressac prances out of the glass with cheery scents of Morello cherries, black raspberries and plum preserves, plus suggestions of chocolate mint, licorice and unsmoked cigars. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers loads of energetic black, blue and red fruit layers, framed by grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. It's approachable now yet has the stuffing to cellar for 15 years or more.