Château Picque Caillou 2019

Tasting characteristics and advice for Château Picque Caillou 2019

Tasting

Color
The color reveals a superb, intense and vibrant purple-red hue.

Nose
Expressive and complex, the nose opens with intense aromas of blackcurrant and tobacco, complemented by notes of red fruits, vanilla and spices. With aeration, fragrances of berry compote and dark chocolate emerge, enhanced by touches of bay leaf and pipe tobacco.

Palate
The palate is full-bodied and elegant, revealing an opulent, rich texture. The tannins, remarkably silky yet still powerful, envelop the palate with finesse. The wine offers a beautiful balance between fruit and acidity, unveiling flavors of red cherries, blackcurrant and dark fruits. The finish, finely complex, lingers on notes of black berries, juniper and walnut.

Food and wine pairings

This Pessac-Léognan is the ideal match for a fine rib steak with porcini mushrooms, grilled duck breast or red meats in sauce. It also pairs beautifully with veal kidneys, small feathered game and grilled tuna. For cheese, opt for hard cheeses such as Comté, Cantal or ewe’s-milk tomme. On the other hand, avoid overly spicy dishes, which could clash with the wine’s structure.

Serving and cellaring

Serve Château Picque Caillou 2019 between 16°C and 18°C. Decanting for one hour before serving will allow the wine to fully open up. This vintage can be enjoyed now and through around 2032, or even beyond for patient enthusiasts. In magnum, the aging potential extends further still, allowing the wine to gain aromatic finesse over time.

An expressive, elegant Pessac-Léognan from terroirs on the doorstep of Bordeaux

The estate

Founded in 1755 by Jean Laclotte, Château Picque Caillou is located on the doorstep of Bordeaux, in the Pessac-Léognan appellation. Managed since the 1990s by Paulin and Isabelle Calvet, the estate stands out for its Gunzian gravel terroir, ideal for producing white wines renowned for their minerality and freshness, as well as balanced red wines. Despite increasing urbanization, it remains one of the region’s last winegrowing strongholds, with a strong environmental commitment.

The vineyard

The red-wine vineyard of Château Picque Caillou covers around 22.5 hectares within the Pessac-Léognan appellation. The vines, with an average age of 25 years, grow on a distinctive Gunzian gravel terroir made up of pebbles and sands offering exceptional drainage. Located between the prestigious Château Haut-Brion and Mérignac Airport, this urban vineyard enjoys a unique setting, reflecting the region’s long-standing winegrowing history in Bordeaux.

The vintage

The year 2019 in Bordeaux proved to be a winegrower’s vintage, requiring constant attention in the face of contrasting weather conditions. After a mild, dry start to the year that encouraged early budbreak, flowering took place in early June in cool, wet conditions. Summer was marked by scorching temperatures, with an exceptionally sunny July featuring 17 days above 30°C. Rainfall from September 20 onward made it possible to complete ripening under optimal conditions. This vintage brings together all the qualities of a truly fine year: yields, freshness, ripeness, concentration, sugars and acidity, all in harmonious balance.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for Château Picque Caillou 2019 are harvested by hand and sorted on a table. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks between 25°C and 28°C, with limited pump-overs and a single rack-and-return to preserve the wine’s finesse. Maceration lasts 20 to 25 days, followed by a 10-day post-fermentation maceration at 30°C. Aging is carried out for 12 months in oak barrels, 30 to 40% of which are new depending on the vintage. The wine is then racked into barrels without filtration.

Grape varieties

Cabernet sauvignon (60%)
Merlot (35%)
Petit verdot (5%)