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2012 CHÂTEAU CHARMAIL Cru Bourgeois Supérieur Haut Médoc, Lea & Sandeman

CHÂTEAU CHARMAIL

2012 Cru Bourgeois Supérieur Haut Médoc

Colour Red
Origin France, Bordeaux
Sub-district Haut Médoc
Classification Cru Bourgeois Supérieur
ABV 12.5%

Big hit of toasty, charry oak on the nose - then some relatively zippy, bright red cherry fruit and some almost bitter fresh cranberry notes. There is a little tarry, firm minerality at the core which gives this an edge of seriousness on the finish. L&S (Apr 2013)


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50% Merlot 33 % Cabernet Sauvignon 14 % Cabernet Franc 3 % Petit Verdot,
Juicy medium bodied red with nice freshness and sweet mid palate fruit of Chinese red dates and ripe red plums. Well made with supple tannins and good finish.Winemaker's notes

The Charmail has a simple, espresso-scented bouquet that has decent fruit concentration if not complexity. The palate is medium-bodied with a pleasant fleshy mouthfeel and a simple, rather oaky finish. Rating: 84-86 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2013)

The 2012 Charmail is a blend of 47% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Yields were 40 hectoliters per hectare and the wine hit 12.8% natural alcohol, slightly lower than many of its peers. A typical dark blue/purple color (because Charmail extends the cold pre-fermentation maceration as much as possible) is followed by aromas of cassis, blueberries, blackberries, charcoal and acacia flowers. This medium-bodied, richly fruity, pure, attractive wine will not make old bones, but for drinking over the next 5-7 years, it is very well done. 2013 - 2020 Rating: 87-89 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, www.RobertParker.com (Apr 2013)

Château Charmail

The name Charmail comes from its 16th century origins, when the Trevey de Charmail family settled in the Medoc. It's a property on classic Médoc gravel and clay, of about 27.5 hectares, sitting high up and overlooking the Gironde.

Olivier Sèze bought Charmail in 1982. A leader in many ways, both in viticulture and in winemaking, he developed a process of pre-fermentation cold maceration, still used here now, which produces deeper coloured, fatter wines with soft tannins and this, along with the relatively high proportion of Merlot for the Haut-Médoc (50%), gives wines that are ready to drink within 4 to 6 years of the vintage. It also seems to make Charmail a fairly good bet in lesser vintages. The grapes are all hand-harvested and the wine is aged in barrel for 12 months.

In 2008 Bernard d’Halluin bought Charmail, and it was agreed that Olivier should continue to work there and be part of the new team, in charge of the winemaking. Bernard's daughter Marie has taken charge of the presentation and marketing.

This wine isn't currently part of a mixed case, but you can always browse our full selection of mixed cases here.
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