le Chevalier Côtes de Bourg AOC 2019

Château Falfas's top cuvée shows power, maturity and depth without ever being loud. The fruit stays pure and dark, the tannin fine-grained, with an underlying minerality beneath. A distinguished red wine from the Côtes de Bourg, whose stature comes from balance.

Built in 1612 in the Louis XIII style, the château overlooks the Gironde estuary at Bayon; as early as the 14th century, wines from here were sent to the English royal court. The estate comprises 20 hectares of vines and 15 hectares of forest, which stabilises the climate and offers refuge to beneficial insects. Half of the vineyard area lies on a terrace of clay and limestone interspersed with flint. A historical guide from 1827 named Falfas one of the region's best crus. In 1988, Véronique Cochran and her husband took over the estate and converted it entirely to biodynamics; Véronique's father, François Bouchet, had established biodynamic viticulture in France.

Around 70 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, with Cabernet Sauvignon dominant, plus around 30 percent Merlot. The grapes come from vines up to 75 years old, with a yield of 18 hectolitres per hectare. After a short, cool pre-fermentation maceration, they ferment with natural vineyard yeasts; ageing takes nearly two years in new and used French oak barrels, and the wine is bottled unfiltered.

Blueberry is immediately present, followed by cassis, black cherry and blackberry. The fine-grained tannin is polished, the acidity well integrated and noticeable enough to give the wine lift. The finish is long and juicy, carried by the same pure blue fruit.

Biodynamically farmed top cuvée from old vines, spontaneously fermented and bottled unfiltered, with notable ageing potential.