Château d'Aiguilhe 2018

ABOUT THE WINE

Appellation | Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux

Grape | 80% Merlot 20% cabernet franc

Ageing | In new oak barrels 15-18 months (up to 50%) on fine lees. Fining and filtering as necessary, depending on the vintage.

Tasting Notes | A swath of toasty, singed vanilla starts off, quickly backed by waves of currant and plum preserves. As the flavors knit, a graphite spine emerges and drives the anise- and apple wood–tinged finish. Let this settle in with a little cellaring. Very solid. 

Pairing | Lamb, Grilled meats. 

Drinking | 2022-2030

Critic notes/awards | 92-93/100 James Suckling, 91-94/100 Wine Spectator

ABOUT THE CHÂTEAU

Acquired by Stephan von Neipperg at the end of 1998, Château d'Aiguilhe embodies one of the most beautiful vineyards of the Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux.
Withdrawn inland, its lofty ruins bear witness to a long history.

The current castle, which is actually a fortified farm, dates from the 13th century. In the Middle Ages, everything suggests that the seigniory of Aiguilhe commanded a vast territory and that it possessed several important fiefs. Located on the border of the zones occupied by the French and the English during the Hundred Years War, it played an active military role, passing into the hands of each other according to the rallying of the lord of the place. Subsequently, the castle belonged to the Leberthon family, a famous line of Bordeaux parliamentarians. The latter, before emigrating on the eve of the Revolution, sold it to a certain Etienne Martineau who made it a vast exploitation of four hundred hectares in one piece, whose heirs did not get rid of it until 1920.

Today, the estate occupies a vast terroir of 140 hectares, 90 of which are devoted to viticulture. The vineyard, exclusively located on the plateau, benefits from natural drainage and excellent sunshine thanks to an overall southern exposure.
The soils, of clay-limestone and clay-loam structure, compose a thin layer of rather poor ground resting on a limestone substrate which ensures remarkable water regulation for the vines. Added to the average age of the vineyard, these natural data combine to create eminently favorable conditions for growing vines.

Château d'Aiguilhe produces a second wine, Seigneurs d'Aiguilhe, fruity and gourmet, but also a 100% Sauvignon Blanc cuvée since 2015: Le Blanc d'Aiguilhe.

Current Owner: Stephan von Neipperg

Soils: Clay-limestone.

Vines: On average 28 years of age