Castel Frères
Cru La Maqueline Bordeaux
2021
$20.45
About this winery
Castel Frères is the historic wine trading business created by Pierre Castel with his brothers and sisters in 1949. Over time, we have created a comprehensive range including not only brand leaders and successful innovations, but also châteaux wineries and grand cru wines. Third largest in the world market, Castel Frères is today "the most important place for French wine in the world" for professionals and consumers worldwide.
See the Castel Frères detail page for more information on this brand
Product notes
While the name Cru is singular and rarely used, it designates an individual production unit in the same way as a château or an estate. Philippe Castel, owner since 2006, wished to maintain the name Cru la Maqueline, in use since 1892. Driven by the owner's other passion: breeding reining horses, the estate plunges us into a “Western” universe, outside the traditional codes of Bordeaux. The wine asserts the estate's singularity, with a strong predominance of Merlot.
Production notes
Ripe harvest with good potential and ripe tannins, low acidity. - First use of the R'pulse innovation: an alternative extraction tool to pumping-over and delestage. - Fermentation temperature between 28 and 30°C. - Total vatting time 25 days. - Use of micro-oxygenation before malolactic fermentation. - Aged in vats for 10 months, using alternative methods to bring complexity and modernity to the wine.
Tasting notes
With a very high Merlot content, Cru la Maqueline has a fresh, modern, gourmet profile, with great drinkability. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot complete the blend, offering finesse and aromatic complexity. Ripe, jammy black fruits dominate. The aromatic palette is completed by mellow notes of toast and mocha. On the palate, silky, unctuous characters are favored for a powerful, well-balanced whole.