Château Le Gay 2016

Château Le Gay sits on the Pomerol plateau in Bordeaux, an estate reshaped by Catherine Péré-Vergé after she acquired it in 1985. The wine is Merlot led with Cabernet Franc, planted on the deep blue clay and iron-rich subsoil known locally as crasse de fer. That cool, water-retentive clay slows ripening and holds acidity, which is why Pomerol Merlot carries such density without heaviness, and the iron pan is the source of the mineral, faintly ferrous character the region is known for. The 2016 spent fifteen months in oak, where slow oxygen exchange through the barrel softens the tannins and adds a layer of spice and toast. The result is a concentrated, deeply coloured red. The nose leads with ripe red and black fruit, lilac, chocolate, smoke and a stony minerality; the palate is full and structured, the tannins ripe and tightly woven, closing long and savoury. This is a wine built to age, and a few years in the cellar will reward patience. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees and decant an hour ahead. It suits roast beef, rack of lamb and dishes with mushrooms or truffle.