2021 Château Marsau, Francs-Côtes de Bordeaux
Critics reviews
In theory, an organic wine from 100% Merlot should not do well in 2021, and yet this has an enticing ruby colour with violet reflections and is delicate and nuanced wtihout being austere or diluted. Defintely a success, with raspberry and blackberry fruit, and a mouthwatering finish. Unlike most of the Francs appellation, the 12ha Marsau vienyard is made up of clay-gravel soils rather than limestone, giving a different more powerful flavour profile, and after losing 80% of the crop to frost in 2018 they rethought their growing method, now going for no-till with cover crops all year. Has helped keep soil temperatures manageable in the hot years, and increased competition this year, allowed water stress to develop by the end of August - a few weeks later than normal, but still having an impact on flavour concentration. Harvest 28 September to October 6, vinified with no added sulphur, natural yeasts, 3.6ph.
Drink 2024 - 2028
Jane Anson, janeanson.com (May 2022)
A pure merlot with black-olive and blackberry aromas and flavors with a medium body, creamy tannins and a juicy finish. All here.
James Suckling, jamessuckling.com (May 2022)
About this WINE
Chateau Marsau
This excellent little property in the obscure Côtes de Francs is producing delicious wines.
Owned by the president of Bordeaux negociant, Dourthe, Jean-Marie Chadronnier, Chateau Marsau has been heralded by Robert Parker as "The Petrus of the Côtes de Francs".
Lying at the top of a hill, north-east of the village of Francs, the vineyards benefit from an excellent microclimate, with exceptional sunshine hours. The soils are predominantly clay which suits the Merlot grape variety, with which 85% of the vineyards are planted, very well.
The character of the wines is classic right-bank with soft, round, elegant fruit and fabulous balance.
Cotes de Francs
Francs-Côtes de Bordeaux, formerly known as the Côtes de Francs, is an appellation located on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. It is permitted to make red wines as well as dry and sweet white wines.
It forms part of the Côtes de Bordeaux network of appellations along with Blaye, Cadillac, Castillon and Sainte-Foy.
One of the leading producers in Francs-Côtes de Bordeaux is Château Marsau, the home estate of Anne-Laurence and Mathieu Chadronnier; Mathieu is the president of major négociant CVBG.
Merlot
The most widely planted grape in Bordeaux and a grape that has been on a relentless expansion drive throughout the world in the last decade. Merlot is adaptable to most soils and is relatively simple to cultivate. It is a vigorous naturally high yielding grape that requires savage pruning - over-cropped Merlot-based wines are dilute and bland. It is also vital to pick at optimum ripeness as Merlot can quickly lose its varietal characteristics if harvested overripe.
In St.Emilion and Pomerol it withstands the moist clay rich soils far better than Cabernet grapes, and at it best produces opulently rich, plummy clarets with succulent fruitcake-like nuances. Le Pin, Pétrus and Clinet are examples of hedonistically rich Merlot wines at their very best. It also plays a key supporting role in filling out the middle palate of the Cabernet-dominated wines of the Médoc and Graves.
Merlot is now grown in virtually all wine growing countries and is particularly successful in California, Chile and Northern Italy.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
Merlot 100%
Tucked away in the far east of the Right Bank is Mathieu and Anne-Laurence Chadronnier’s wonderful little property. It sits at 100 metres’ elevation, on clay rather than the region’s usual limestone. Francs’ cooler climate has been an advantage in recent hot vintages. But there has been a lot of work in the vineyard towards a sustainable and regenerative model; the vines have adapted brilliantly to the cooler 2021. This is full of pure spicy plum fruit; the palate is smooth and creamy, finishing with a rewarding bounce of freshness. Drink 2024-2032.
Our score: 15.5/20
Berry Bros. & Rudd, April 2022
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