Chateau Peby Faugeres Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2009 750ml

The opposite of the backward, classically styled, inward 2010, the 2009 Peby Faugeres is an extroverted, hedonistic, sexpot of a wine that delivers just about everything you could want from a bottle of wine. It too is inky colored and offers a heavenly perfume of blueberries, cassis, scorched earth, incense, licorice and hints of flowers. It’s a massive, full-bodied, opulent wine, yet stays light and graceful on the palate, with a weightless feel, which is even more remarkable given its incredible concentration, extract, tannic structure, and length. It’s a joy to drink today (in a youthful sort of way) but has another two to three decades of prime drinking. Bravo!

• Country: France
• Region: Bordeaux
• Appellation: Saint Emilion
• Size: 750ml
• Color: Red

Varietal

Red Bordeaux

There are few regions in the world with stricter regulations in regards to wine production and grape varietals than those found in Bordeaux, France. Here, in the home of the world’s finest wines, the type and quality of grapes used is of utmost importance, and the legendary wineries which work on the banks of the Gironde river have mastered the careful art of juice blending to find the perfect balance for their produce. Whilst there are six ‘official’ Bordeaux grapes, the two key varietals for almost every fine Bordeaux wine are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and with good reason. Whilst Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are renowned for their acidity and astringency, strong fruit and spice flavors and full body, Merlot grapes are notably rounded, soft, fleshy and lighter on tannin. The combination of these two varietals, along with a small percentage of (commonly) Petit Verdot or Cabernet Franc, is the perfect balancing act ”“ the two grape varietals cancel out each others weaker points, and accentuate all that is good about the other.