Château La Marzelle 2025

Château La Marzelle is a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru built on a high terrace shaped by the ancient course of the Isle, now farmed by the Sioen family. The blend brings together Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, each suited to a different part of the soil profile of sand, gravel and clay over limestone. The free draining gravel and sand ripen the early Merlot, while the cooler clay and limestone hold acidity and lend the firm tannic backbone that lets the Cabernets show their herbal, structured side. The wine is aged in oak barrels, where slow oxygen exchange settles the tannins and adds cocoa and cedar tones that sit behind the fruit. It opens with a delicate, almost whispering nose of elderflower, blackcurrant and a fresh hint of mint that adds verticality and lift. The palate enters with a creamy breadth before the structure takes over, with firm but ripe tannins, fresh acidity and a long, savoury finish carrying notes of dark fruit, cocoa and crushed stone. At 14 percent it is full bodied without heaviness. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees, decant an hour or two ahead, and pour with red meat.