2015 Château Arnauld, Haut-Médoc Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel - Liberty

Château Arnauld neighbours Château Chasse-Spleen and Château Poujeaux, between Margaux and Moulis, just outside the village of Arcins. Formerly the Priory of Arcins, a pilgrimage site en route to Santiago de Compostela, it was renamed Château Arnauld by Pierre-Jacques Arnauld when he bought the estate in the 17th century. The property was purchased by the Larose group in 2007, who also own Château Larose Trintaudon and Château Larose Perganson.

Classified as ‘Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel’, Château Arnauld comprises 17.2 hectares of sustainably farmed vineyards, with an average age of 40 years. Their vines are planted on a deep, well-draining, gravel outcrop on the edge of the Gironde estuary, at a density of 10,000 vines per hectare. This helps ensure a low yield, adding greater flavour intensity to the finished wine.

Château Arnauld is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. The hand-harvested grapes are sorted twice before fermenting in stainless steel tanks and racked into 228-litre, new oak barriques, where it ages for 16 months. It has classic aromas of blackcurrant, cedar and smoky undertones, alongside a well-structured palate with intense notes of blackberry and plum. This wine consistently outperforms its humble ‘Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel’ classification.

Château Arnauld owns 17.2 hectares of vineyards which have an average age of 40 years and are farmed sustainably. The vines sit on a deep, well-draining, gravel outcrop on the edge of the Gironde River. They are planted at a density of 10,000 vines per hectare, which helps to achieve a low yield per vine and an increased intensity of flavour in the finished wine.

2015 was a very dry year which produced an excellent vintage with good ageing ability. The weather in March to October was drier than average, except for a wetter August. Late August to September was dry and hot which aided ripening and concentration.The dry conditions contributed to producing small, concentrated berries.

The grapes were harvested by hand and sorted twice at the winery before being destemmed. After a long maceration, fermentation took place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats. The wine was gently pressed and aged in 100% new oak, 228L barrels for 16 months.

The 2015 has classic aromas of blackcurrant and cedar with smokey undertones, the palate is well-structured with intense notes of blackberry and plum and held together by taut tannins.