Château de France
98, Route de Mont de Marsan, 33850 Léognan
Vineyards/Terroir: 40 hectares planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (60%) and Merlot (40%) for the red and Sauvignon Blanc (80%) and Sémillion (20%) for the white.
Winemaking/Elévage: 12-14 months in 40% new oak for the reds and 9 months in 40% new oak for the whites.
White:
- 2015 Washed colour; some apple and lees notes; fresh and zippy on the palate; fresh finish too. [80% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Sémillon]. Tasted UGCB 7/6/16. Drink 2019-2023. 86-88
- 2014 Palest silver; some honey and candy tones; wax; little tight; grapefruit tones on the palate with wax and flint and apple highlights; tight in the middle but easy finish currently. [80% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Sémillon]. Drink 2017-2022. Tasted UGCB 1 April, 2015. 86-88
- 2013 Pale straw; very neutral on the nose; nutty notes and some wax; not that impressive in the line up. Drink 2015-2018. 83-85
- 2012 Pale silver/gold; apple tones on the nose; quite soft palate with more apple notes with a crisp finish. Drink now – 2017. 86 UGC Oct ’14 [Earlier note] Pale straw/gold; some apple; sturdy and fresh; some grass and apple tones on the palate; lacks depth versus the rest but refreshing with some zip. 80% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Sémillon 86-88 Tasted Monday April 8, 2013 at Chateau Olivier’s Pessac-Leognan tasting
- 2011 Pale straw; very washed; attractive citrus and oyster shell nose; zesty grapefruit too; palate open and round; spicy ginger tones with attractive fruit tones. Attractive, fruit driven effort. Drink now-2018. 88 UGC Oct ’13 [Earlier note] Pale straw, gold; oaky note, very barrique influenced; grapefruit notes and oyster shell; real zingy palate and lots of fruit in an upfront [if oaky] style. Attractive. Dips a fraction at the end 88-90
- 2010 Pale straw; fatter, broader and less complex than the previous few Pessac whites but still pretty full; apple and spice tones on the palate with some wet wool and the oak a little more obvious. Should meld with a year or two of bottle age. Feels a good effort overall. 88+ [Earlier] Palest straw; some zesty, yeasty notes; quite strong and firm; round and quite leesy and waxy note; quite attractive with some zip 88-90+/100 Tasted 6 April 2011 UGC
- 2009 Pale straw/shade more golden; wax; warmer style; seems Sémillon dominant; simpler and vastly overshadowed by de Fieuzal [and in price to be fair]. Lacks complexity. 87/100 UGC Oct ‘11
- 2008 Quite golden, quite open nose with ripe notes and soapy laolin tones; good 87/100 UGC ‘10
- 2015 Mid depth; earthy purple; solid; spices and some dust; black fruits beneath; soft palate; fresh finish. Compact. [60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot]. Tasted UGCB 7/4/16. Drink 2019-2025. 86-88
- 2014 Deep and saturated colour; ripe blackcurrant aromatics; nice ripeness; lift and freshness; grip and blackcurrants on the palate; more higher toned, acid freshness style; rather dry and puckering at the end. Combined effect of marked acidity [by comparison with the rest] and dry tannin not great at this stage. Needs to settle. Not as ripe tannin as some. [50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Merlot]. Drink 2018-2025. Tasted 1 April, 2015. 84-87?
- 2013 Deep and dark at the core; purple edge; stalky Cabernet fruit; some earth and leafy notes; flesh in the middle with a leafy/earthy note; like the texture though. Earthy style. [55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot]. Tasted UGCB April 2014. Drink 2018-2023. 85-87
- 2012 Deep and surprisingly saturated look; slight whiff of green [perhaps the terroir] and black earth; soft palate with some grip and an easy finish but feels a little hollow in the middle. OK. Drink now to 2020. 85 UGC Oct ’14 [Earlier note] Deep and vibrant; smoke, some earth; black fruits and quite lush; some astringency on the palate; wine has a dry and rather angular finish. Short and dry on the very end. 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 40% new oak 84-86 [Earlier note] Mid depth; some jam on the nose; red fruits; layered and reasonably plush; all up front as palate seems a little hollow in the middle. Finishes tannic and dry. 84-86 Tasted Monday April 8, 2013 at Chateau Olivier’s Pessac-Leognan tasting
- 2011 Mid depth; some tar and blackcurrant tones; similar flavours to the aromas – blackcurrants. Chew and grip here but not overdone. Mid-weight and reasonably positive. 86 UGC Oct ’13 [Earlier note] Deep, mid depth; some vegetal notes; mealy qualities, iodine and inky; very tannic palate, dominated by fruit and wood tannin currently and incredibly dry. 83-85
- 2010 Deep and saturated look; earthy, gravelly blackcurrant aromas; soft-ish; developing and quite attractive; forward palate with earthy blackcurrant tones and nice texture. Some grip and sap at the back which gives it a bit of life too. Works well. Almost ready now. This should be good value. 88+ [Earlier] Deep and arterial; lush and plush; lots of fruit here; some smoke, chocolate; thick and ripe – little stewed note though and slightly stalky edge penetrates the palate. Over-extracted and tannic palate. 84-86?/100 Tasted 6 April 2011 UGC
- 2009 Deep red and black up to rim; very ripe, rather monolithic big nose; some stalk, blackcurrants but big; almost figgy Languedoc notes here; palate similarly styled; big and ripe but big tannins and lots of extraction. Chunky style. 86?/100. Tasted 31st March 2010.
- 2008 Very dense, dark and colour tight to the rim; some strawberry and red fuits with lift on the nose; dense palate with lots of extract but also firm, quite dry tannins. Smoke here too. Feels disjointed now. 86?/100 UGC Oct ‘10