About this WINE
Cabernet Sauvignon Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon lends itself particularly well in blends with Merlot. This is actually the archetypal Bordeaux blend, though in different proportions in the sub-regions and sometimes topped up with Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.
In the Médoc and Graves the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend can range from 95% (Mouton-Rothschild) to as low as 40%. It is particularly suited to the dry, warm, free- draining, gravel-rich soils and is responsible for the redolent cassis characteristics as well as the depth of colour, tannic structure and pronounced acidity of Médoc wines. However 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wines can be slightly hollow-tasting in the middle palate and Merlot with its generous, fleshy fruit flavours acts as a perfect foil by filling in this cavity.
In St-Emilion and Pomerol, the blends are Merlot dominated as Cabernet Sauvignon can struggle to ripen there - when it is included, it adds structure and body to the wine. Sassicaia is the most famous Bordeaux blend in Italy and has spawned many imitations, whereby the blend is now firmly established in the New World and particularly in California and Australia.
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Description
Sénéjac is a historic estate of 150 hectares, of which only 38 are under vine, and even in the middle of the 19th century produced 100,000 bottles, not far short of its modern-day total.
It s reputation for making high quality wine blossomed in the 1980s and then in 1999 it entered a new era when it was bought by Lorraine Cordier, whose family also woned the famous St Julien property, Chateau Talbot. Progress continues today and the vineyard’s southerly location in the Haut Médoc makes the wine stylistically close to Margaux. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel, temperature-controlled tanks before being matured in oak barrels, 30% new, for 12-15 months prior to bottling.
The blend in the 2007 vintage is 48% Cabernet Sauvignon,37% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot. Chteau Snjac, having produced solid wines in the 1980s, entered a new era in 1999 when it was bought by Lorraine Cordier, whose family also owned the famous St Julien property, Chteau Talbot. This is a classic Cru Bourgeois from the Mdoc. It has a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend; a dark skinned, late ripening grape that lends structure to the softer, fleshier Merlot, so often its main partner in Bordeaux blends.
Earthy and dense, you will detect bramble and cedar characters on the nose, which are the hallmarks of Mdoc Cabernet. The balanced acidity and silky, softening tannins are typical of this approachable vintage. The savoury notes that are distinct on the palate, amongst the firm black fruits hinted at on the nose, point towards the developing maturity of this wine. This has a refined, stylish finish.
This is a great example of a mature Claret which shows that a good quality, mature wine neednt cost a fortune. Its density of flavour would be balanced by some food; roast lamb would be a classic match but this would also complement a juicy steak. Decant an hour in advance to avoid sediment and encourage the wine to flourish by aeration, then serve at 15C.
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