Chateau Grand Village - Bordeaux Rouge 2021 (Pre-arrival) (1.5L)

This wine from Fronsac, part of the portofolio of the Guinaudeau family, owners of Château Lafleur in Pomerol.

Production of 45,000 to 60,000 bottles per year.

The 2020 Grand Village is a blend of 21% Cabernet Franc and 79% Merlot, matured in 30% new oak.

Softly floral-touched blackcurrants - violet and lilac, quite a subtle perfumed tone to them but giving such expressive aromas to the nose with touches of smoked earth and sweet milk chocolate. Juicy and succulent, a whoosh of bright fruit juice - red cherry and strawberry - really so lively then straightens and becomes more direct. Lots of minerality and salinity on show, lifted and aerial. The structure and frame comes more towards the end rather than on the mid-palate, growing in depth and density until a noticeable weight appears with a mineral, salty, iodine finish. Elegant from the start however, finessed with freshness and such supreme approachability. Utterly lovely

The 2021 Grand Village, a blend of 48% Merlot (picked on the 17th and 24th of September) and 52% Cabernet Franc (picked on the 2nd of October), is undoubtedly one of the best values in Bordeaux, revealing a fresh, gourmand bouquet with aromas of raspberry, cassis, spring flowers and loamy soils. Medium-bodied, tense and elegant with a supple, velvety texture, it’s perfectly balanced with powdery tannins and a long, mouthwatering, sleek finish that enhances its drinkability. While it offers plenty of immediate charm, it also has the structure to age over the next decade. - Yohan Castaing

The 2021 Grand Village (Lafleur) is another brilliant wine from this team. Based on 75% Merlot and 25% Bouchet (Cabernet Franc) from the upper plateau on the Right Bank, it has a great nose of darker black raspberries, spring flowers, bright cherries, and some loamy, earthy, mineral nuances. It's gorgeous on the palate, with a more broad, expansive mouthfeel (especially when compared to the Les Perrières), ripe tannins, medium body, and a great finish. Put this in a blind lineup of Grand Cru Burgundy and I bet it wouldn't stick out