The holiday season is almost upon us, and it’s known as being the time for sharing. With that in mind, we take a look at Château Lassègue and its Lassègue Saint-Émilion, Grand Cru 2015, an excellent wine that is perfect for enjoying with friends and mature family members.
Set within the beautiful Côte de Saint-Émilion region is Château Lassègue, an impressive 18th-century building with 36 hectares of high-quality vines that’s on a mission to create the very best wines it can, and there will be few better locations from where to do this than gently rolling hills of south-west France.
The gorgeous weather the Château experiences, excellent soil, mated with an unwavering passion and the drive to honour the 18th-century property’s heritage, result in some quite exceptional wines, one of which is the Lassègue Saint-Émilion, Grand Cru 2015, the focus of this feature.
It is doubtful that the words “mission accomplished” will ever be spoken at the 18th-century château. Each day, from dawn to dusk, detailed work is carried out in the vineyards, laid out across what can best be described as a natural amphitheatre. In the world of winemaking, location is paramount, and fortunately, the Château’s vineyards benefit from a perfect south/south-west exposure, coupled with clay soils mixed with limestone.
The vineyards house old Merlot vines, the grand old grape of the Saint-Emilion region. Joining them are Cabernet Franc vines, one of the most popular and best-known black grape varieties. The addition of the Cabernet France grapes helps to balance the final blend and adds structure and extra power to each of the blends and their aromas.
The Château Lassègue team clearly has something that sets them apart from others. Perhaps it’s the team’s intuitive and authentic approach to their craft in the vineyards or their goal to achieve technical perfection without pretence. Whatever it is they are doing, it is undoubtedly working.
The winemaking team utilises an array of small tanks, bringing the micro-crus to life. By allowing each small batch to be vinified separately, all options multiply, similar to an artist creating an endless range of colours on the canvas.
Another significant factor contributing to Château Lassègue’s winemaking is its ability to match the vine’s terroirs to the oak’s terroirs. The winemaker’s barrels are all crafted by a stave mill in the heart of the Vosges. They chose these particular barrels as they guarantee traceability, and their nuances help to enhance the wines. All of the barrels are housed inside the château’s traditional cellar, and each is carefully placed in rows by hand.
The making of the Lassègue Saint-Émilion, Grand Cru 2015
Favourable climatic conditions undoubtedly played a significant factor in the 2015 vintage at Château Lassègue. The vineyards experienced a first rainy, then cold winter, which was followed by dry, relatively high temperatures in the spring, which enabled earlier-than-expected flowering.
Continuing the slightly unexpected weather was a warmer-than-usual summer, followed by August rain showers, which were a welcome respite from the heat.
Fortunately, the weather was ideal throughout the grape harvesting, which took place between September and October and concluded with a first-class vintage production.
On the nose and palate
The colour of the Chateau Lassegue, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2015, is deep garnet-purple. Initially, it reveals expressive black forest cake, preserved plums and blackberry pie notes, joined by an undercurrent of mocha, grilled meats, sandalwood and cigar box, plus a waft of lavender.
The wine has a medium to full body and is rich and densely packed with opulent layers of spiced black fruit preserves and chocolate box notions. The tannins are wonderfully plush yet firm, complemented by a lovely fresh acidity, and it has a long and fragrant finish.
The Grand Cru 2015 is priced at £45.00 and available at Thegoodwineshop.co.uk.
For more information on Château Lassègue, its mission and its range of products, please visit www.chateau-lassegue.com.
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