2014 Château Lucas, Lussac-St Emilion, Bordeaux

Chateau Lucas

Chateau Lucas is located in the Saint Emilion satellite community and wine appellation of Lussac, approximately 45 kilometers east of Bordeaux. It belongs to the Vauthier family, also owners of the famous Chateau Ausone.
Chateau Lucas owns 18 hectares of vineyards from which three cuvees are made. The main wine, the eponymous Chateau Lucas, comes from a 12 hectare vineyard and comprises 50/50 Merlot and Cabernet Franc. 20% of the wine is aged in new oak.

It is unusual to find a Bordeaux at this level with such a significant amount of Cabernet Franc; it makes the wine quite linear but adds a very interesting dimension to the aromatics.  The Cabernet Franc is successful here because the property is situated on a sandy, gravelly plateau which differs geologically from the rest of the appellation, an unusual similarity to Ch. Cheval Blanc, a château also renowned for its use of Cabernet Franc. 

Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc is widely planted in Bordeaux and is the most important black grape grown in the Loire. In the Médoc it may constitute up to 15% of a typical vineyard - it is always blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and is used to add bouquet and complexity to the wines. It is more widely used in St.Emilion where it adapts well to the cooler and moister clay soils - Cheval Blanc is the most famous Cabernet Franc wine in the world, with the final blend consisting of up to 65% of the grape.

Cabernet Franc thrives in the Loire where the cooler growing conditions serve to accentuate the grape's herbaceous, grassy, lead pencil aromas. The best wines come from the tuffeaux limestone slopes of Chinon and Bourgeil where growers such as Jacky Blot produce intense well-structured wines that possess excellent cellaring potential.