Grand Village Bordeaux Superieur red, 2020, 750ML

Feature

Tasting Note

Wine Advocate 94+, Yohan Castaing

A serious, more obviously structured effort than the suave 2019, the 2020 Grand Village offers up a smoky, dense bouquet with aromas of cherries, spices, flowers, lead pencil and dark wild berries. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with rich, powdery tannins and a vibrant core of fruit, it concludes with an impressively long finish and superb controlled power. It clearly needs time to chill out. Drink Date: 2023 - 2038

Vinous 91, Neal Martin

The 2020 Grand Village has a ripe nose with quite ebullient red fruit and well-integrated oak.
It is more opulent than some of its peers, though it maintains delineation. The palate is well balanced with a slightly powdery texture and admirable depth. It is perhaps just missing a little grip, but it retains a degree of elegance and focus. This unravels a little in the glass, prompting me to dock a point. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. Drinking Window: 2026 - 2042

Winemaking 

Chateau Grand Village Bordeaux Superieur Rouge is a unique wine that far exceeds its Bordeaux Superieur appellation level and the Guinaudeau family cherishes it every bit as much as they do its more illustrious stablemate Chateau Lafleur. The vineyards are worked by the same team and with the same meticulous care and attention to detail that are seen in the great Pomerol vineyard. The grapes (predominately Merlot with the addition of Cabernet Franc) are carefully selected according to the quality of the harvest and only the best fruit is retained. This red wine is delicious in its youth yet has surprising longevity and is normally at its peak around 3-6 years after harvest, depending on vintage.

Winery

The Guinaudeau family has owned and lived in Chateau Grand Village since 1650. They cherish it every bit as much as they do Chateau Lafleur (their other estate) and the vineyards are worked by the same teams, with the same meticulous care and attention to detail that are seen in the great Pomerol vineyard.

The estate is situated in Mouillac on the far side of Fronsac and covers 50 hectares of vines. The soil is clay and chalk and the vines can be found on both the hillsides and plains of Bordeaux. The average age of the vines is 20 years old. Both a Bordeaux blanc and rouge are produced each year, classified as Bordeaux Superieur. The grapes are carefully selected according to the quality of the harvest and any rejected fruit is sold off as generic Bordeaux.