Biodynamic, Barefoot Bordeaux from the “Little Switzerland of Gironde”
Château La Grolet is a 17th-century manor house sat at the bottom of a valley surrounded by its 50-hectare estate, including 38 hectares of vines, with the remainder being natural grassland, woodland, waterways and water sources. The Hubert family (see Château Peybonhomme-Les-Tours) acquired the estate in 1997 and immediately began its conversion to biodynamics. The steep slopes of this gravel and clay terroir are planted with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Quite unlike the monotonous flats of the Medoc, the Côtes de Bourg is an area of beautiful landscapes and is sometimes referred to as the “little Switzerland of Gironde”. This is a Bordeaux appellation with an open and proud country personality.
Think of Bordeaux as big company stuff? Here it’s a small, family-owned estate. Large-scale farming practices? Here it’s biodynamic farming of the highest calibre. Overly technical wines? Here it’s minimalist with indigenous yeasts, low or no sulphur and low and often no new oak. Expensive? Just look at the prices!
Both La Grolet and its sister estate, Château Peybonhomme-les-Tours are run along almost Burgundian lines; ploughed vineyards, low-yields, ripe fruit and low intervention, wild yeast winemaking results in terroir-driven wines that combine texture, freshness and vigour with a much finer tannin profile than that found in many of the region's wines. The gravel-rich terroir here makes for a more firmly structured, virile red than this wine's sibling (Peybonhomme), although there is just as much class and value. These are wines that will appeal greatly to, not only Bordeaux lovers and en-primeur buyers, but lovers of delicious, bona fide and impeccably-made wines full stop.
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.
“This is Right Bank Bordeaux of the old school: soft, beautifully balanced and approachable, yet lean, pure and refreshing, with enough acidity to give life and shape to the wine. Grolet, also owned and farmed by the Hubert family, is a great value, year in and year out.” Eric Asimov, The New York Times
Country
France
Primary Region
Bordeaux
People
Guillaume Hubert
Availability
National