Château Les Grandes Murailles 2017

Tasting Notes and Serving Tips for Château Les Grandes Murailles 2017

Tasting

Color

The wine displays a deep purple-garnet hue, highlighting the beautiful concentration of Merlot at optimal ripeness.

Nose

The nose opens with complex aromas of truffle, chocolate and plum, alongside floral notes of potpourri and mineral hints of black tea. With aeration, lightly candied kirsch, lilac and licorice nuances further enrich the bouquet.

Palate

On the palate, this medium-bodied wine reveals a silky, elegant texture. A fresh attack leads into a generous, fruit-driven core with fine, rounded tannins. Flavors of black plums and fresh blackberries unfold with lovely roundness through to a lingering finish with spicy and mineral notes.

Food and Wine Pairing

This Saint-Émilion pairs perfectly with grilled red meats, braised leg of lamb or duck breast. It also matches well with dishes in sauce, sautéed porcini mushrooms or aged goat cheeses.

Serving and Cellaring

Château Les Grandes Murailles 2017 is best enjoyed at a temperature of 16°C. Uncorking one hour before serving allows the wine to reveal its full aromatic complexity. This vintage can be enjoyed through around 2030.

An Elegant, Refined Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé

The Estate

In Saint-Émilion, Château Les Grandes Murailles stands out for its exceptionally rare 2-hectare vineyard, enclosed by walls and planted 100% to Merlot on clay-limestone soils, at the foot of a medieval remnant of a 12th-century Dominican convent. Long managed by the Reiffers family since the 17th century, it now belongs to the Cuvelier family, who also own Clos Fourtet.

The Vineyard

The vineyard of Château Les Grandes Murailles enjoys a privileged location on the limestone plateau of Saint-Émilion, in the immediate vicinity of Clos Fourtet. The two hectares of vines, entirely planted to Merlot, benefit from clay-limestone soils over a substantial limestone subsoil. This small surface area and attentive vineyard management give the wine remarkable consistency.

The Vintage

The 2017 vintage was marked by a spring frost episode that affected part of the Bordeaux vineyard. Despite these challenging weather conditions, rigorous grape selection made it possible to obtain fruit of fine quality. Harvesting was carried out in a single day, ensuring optimal phenolic ripeness.

Winemaking and Aging

The grapes for Château Les Grandes Murailles 2017 underwent a four-day cold pre-fermentation maceration at 10°C. Fermentation took place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks with a total maceration of 28 days. Malolactic fermentation was carried out in new barrels, selected from eight different coopers. Aging continued for 18 to 20 months in 100% new oak barrels, giving the wine its elegance and fine tannins.

Grape Variety

100% Merlot