Château Le Crock 2018 Saint-Estèphe Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel

£25.80
Tasting notes
Bursting with black fruit flavor, it will go ideally with red meats and hard cheeses.

Why we recommend this wine
We have visited visited Château Le Crock several times (see our trip notes here) and were really impressed with their wines and the Nurture Nature approach that they use is in line with what we look for in a winemaker.

The wine
Classified among the top Crus Bourgeois in the Médoc hence the title Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Château le Crock offers deeply coloured wines with delicate fruity bouquets. The full-bodied, fleshy structure becomes more elegant as the years go by, giving complex, racy wines. The sturdy tannins and the exceptional ageing potential are characteristic of the Saint Estèphe appellation.
The grape varieties vary by vintage but are around 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot.

The wine estate
Bought by the Cuvelier Family at 1903, Château Le Crock is situated in the Médoc, in Saint Estèphe. The Château dates from 1750 and is surrounded by magnificent gardens. The vines stretch over 33 hectares (82 acres) and touch two of the most prestigious châteaus of the appellation, Château Cos d’Estournel and Château Montrose. The Cuvelier family business was founded as wine merchants in 1804. Today their holdings include the top Château Léoville Poyferré.
chateaulecrock.fr

Food and wine
Red meat roasts, grills and stews and hard cheeses such as cheddar, Comte and Gruyere. Also see our guide to pairing food and wine here. It is now starting to drink but will cellar for many years to come. To get the best from the wine, decant about an hour ahead of drinking.

Did you know?
One of the chemicals produced by fermentation is tart-tasting Malic acid which is typically associated with the taste of green apples. While valued in some white wines this is not so pleasant in red wines. Thus winemakers start a secondary fermentation shortly after the end of the primary fermentation. This malolactic fermentation converts malic acid to softer-tasting lactic acid to create a rounder, fuller mouthfeel and a more buttery taste (which is really noticeable in Chardonnay).