01/03/2025
Bordeaux Boundary Breaker: 2021 Chateau Le Puy
In college, a Left Bank Bordeaux was my epiphany red wine moment. My growing fascination with wine shifted from California to France in just one sniff. Regrettably, those thrilling experiences via Bordeaux don't come around anymore. The point-chasing, over-extracted, over-oaked, ripe-beyond-recognition style set in motion in the mid-80s has changed the region, and the pendulum has yet to swing back. However, terroir-driven producers do still exist.
Situated between Pomerol and Saint Emilion on the second-highest point along the Gironde estuary, Chateau Le Puy is a Bordeaux estate rooted in sensibilities more commonly found in Burgundy. The wines here are defined by their finesse and pure expression of place—a striking departure from the current style of this revered region
These vines have been farmed free of chemicals since 1610, and today, full biodynamic practices are employed, with work done by horse. The estate's plantings include 85% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, and small percentages of Malbec and Carménère on an amalgamation of red clay, silex, and limestone soils.
In addition to organic and biodynamic farming, their fermentation and élevage methods are also considered uncommon. Infusion and semi-carbonic methods limit the extraction of tannins, providing soft texture and bright, open-knit fruit out of the gate. Aging in large foudre preserves all of that backbone of mineral tension, bringing a freshness missing from the surrounding chateaux.