Biodynamic. While the roster of wines at this address here moves ever more to the left, it's the more classic estate wines that float our boat, including this blend of 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 10% Malbec. The fruit was all drawn from Peybonhomme’s limestone and clay soils in the Premières Côtes de Blaye (on the right bank overlooking the picturesque Gironde estuary). The wine was fermented using wild yeast and then mostly aged in concrete (10% was fermented and aged in two- to three-year-old oak). The wine was bottled unfiltered.
From a year of exceptional balance—and one that had Bordeaux's upper classes rubbing their hands—the 2019 is a delicious, vivid release of this wine. Look out for deep and opulent blackcurrant fruit and charred meat, all draped over a backdrop of leather, spice and graphite and a lovely mineral complexity. There are good ripe tannins too, but it is already immensely drinkable. This will match beautifully with anything you could think of pairing with traditional Bordeaux (we prefer lamb chops). As always, crazy value.