CHÂTEAU D'AIGUILHE
2017 Côtes de Castillon
90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. Always a charmer. Lovely cranberry nose. Then some weight on the palate with an attractive rich fruit. Spritely acidity. Drying tannins at the end. This a cracking wine from Côtes de Castillon. Rating: 89-90 L&S (Apr 2018)
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The 2017 d’Aiguilhe was picked 21 September to 7 October at just 10hl/ha due to frost, matured in 30% new oak. Like the Clos Marsalette, it has a high-toned bouquet with slight reductive tinny top note that suppresses the fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with sweet tannin, quite rounded in style, not powerful or deep but displaying fine purity towards the cassis and blueberry finish. It is the aromatics that need to pull their sock up here. Tasted four times with consistent notes. Drinking range: 2020 - 2025 Rating: 85-87 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2018)
Medium to deep garnet-purple in color and composed of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2017 d'Aiguilhe contains a large part of second-generation fruit because 60% of the crop was affected by frost. It is scented of baked blackberries, preserved plums and Indian spices with hints of menthol and wood smoke. Medium-bodied with firm, chewy tannins and a lively line of freshness, it has a long earth-laced finish.Lisa Perrotti-Brown, RobertParker.com (Apr 2018)
Mid to deep crimson. Lively cassis with a light cedary/leafy freshness but fully ripe. Juicy, rounded and beautifully harmonious. Tastes gently handled but all in proportion and with what tastes like Cabernet Franc freshness. Tannins are fine and supple already. Drinking range: 2021 - 2027 Rating: 16.5 Julia Harding MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2018)
A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc brought up in 30% new barrels, the 2017 Château d'Aiguilhe offers a gorgeous perfume of framboise, blueberries, strawberries, and flowers. Possessing medium body, fine, silky tannin, impeccable balance and obvious minerality on the finish, it’s seriously good Côtes de Castillon that over-delivers. Rating: 91-93 Jeb Dunnuck - www.robertparker.com (Apr 2018)
Lively, with fun raspberry and blackberry fruit that stays bright and engaging throughout, backed by light anise and floral notes on the finish. This should fill out nicely. Rating: 90-93 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Apr 2018)
In this vintage this is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, picked between September 21st and October 7th, at a miniscule yield of just 10 hl/ha. The maceration lasted 30 days. The alcohol is 14%. Quite a typical Aiguilhe style on the nose, sweet and fragrant, with black cherry and sweet black plum. The palate shows a full, richly confident texture, wrapped in bourbonesque oak, with lots of medium-grained tannic substance underneath the fruit. This is fresh, pure, cool, with a peppery and spicy finish, and a little length. Not quite the usual broad substance and depth I expect chez Neipperg, but it is fresh, supple and balanced. Good. The élevage will be in barrel, using 30% new oak. Rating: 89-91 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2018)
Château d'Aiguilhe
Chateau d’Aiguilhe, owned by Stephan Neipperg is situated in a unique location. The Bordeaux wine property is bordered on one side by a plateau. The other side is bordered by a small valley. This overlooks “l’aiguille”, which is a French term meaning “needle.” This is how the chateau found its name. The property has a long and interesting history as a Bordeaux wine property. At one time, there was supposed to have been a Roman villa on this site. Much later, the château was probably used as a commandery for the Knights Templar. The first written records date back to the late 12th century. The château was built in the 13th century. d’Aiguilhe was obtained by the d’Albret family before it was sold to the Leberthon family. The Leberthon family connection was important as numerous familiy members were officials in the Bordeaux parliament. Eventually the Leberthons sold Château d’Aiguilhe on the eve of the French Revolution to Etienne Martineau. He expanded it into a huge Bordeaux wine estate with four hundred hectares of vines in a single block. His descendents remained owners of the château until 1920. Today, the Right Bank property is owned and managed by Stephan von Neipperg, who owns several other Bordeaux wine properties in St. Emilion.