Château Le Puy Cuvée Emilien 2020

Chateau Le Puy sits on a limestone and clay plateau in the Cotes de Francs, in the north-east corner of the Libournais in Bordeaux, where the Amoreau family has farmed for four centuries. This Cuvee Emilien is a natural wine from Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, made with no chemical treatments and minimal intervention in the cellar. The limestone-rich soils drain well and lend Bordeaux blends here their freshness and mineral structure, while Merlot supplies red and dark fruit and roundness and Cabernet Sauvignon adds tannin and a savoury, herbal frame. Biodynamic farming keeps the soils alive and the fruit expressive. Ageing runs to twenty-four months in foudre, large old oak casks that allow slow oxygen exchange to soften tannins and build complexity without adding oak flavour. At a moderate 13% the wine stays fresh and balanced. The colour is medium ruby. The nose is red currant, cherry and plum, with earth, dried herbs, tobacco and a hint of cocoa. The palate is medium bodied, the tannins fine and the acidity bright, finishing long and savoury. Serve at 16 to 17 degrees, decanting an hour ahead. It suits roast beef, lamb and mushroom dishes.