Château La Lauzette 2019, Médoc, Bordeaux, France
Before being named La Lauzette-Declercq during the 90’s, this Cru Bourgeois from the Haut-Médoc was knowned as Château Bellegrave, located on the east side of the Listrac-Médoc appellation. M. Declercq, Belgium owner, will give the winery its new name. Since 2005 already, the winery is managed by Frans & Liz Roskam with passion. A beautiful encounter with this fine terroir sealed the beginning of this adventure for the two oenologists!
VINEYARD: 12.8 hectares
SOIL: 2/3 Garonnaise gravels, 1/3 Clay
VARIETALS: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc (2019)
HARVEST: Parcelar, destemming, selection by sorting table, crushing
MANAGEMENT: Sustainable with independent adviser (HVE2)
VINEYARD AGE: 40 y.o. average
DENSITY: 7500 vines/ha
YIELDS: 40-45 Hl/ha
PRODUCTION: 60-75.000 bottles
The Médoc – Haut-Médoc legislative division intervened in 1935. As early as 1815, a Chartrons broker or courtier mentioned the great red wines of the Haut-Médoc. It was recognizing the results of the quality efforts undertaken during the 18th century by the winegrowers. The Chartrons business community and the large landowners of Bordeaux had already established a kind of hierarchy of parishes where the communes of the wine-growing area of the current Haut-Médoc appellation already made a good impression.
The Haut-Médoc appellation stretches for about sixty kilometers from north to south, from Saint-Seurin de Cadourne to Blanquefort. Within this territory, some areas produce exclusively Haut-Médoc AOC wines. It is based on terroirs of remarkable quality.
The astonishing variety of soils, a consequence of the vastness of the appellation’s territory, explains the diversity of Haut-Médoc wines, rare within the same appellation. It is worth emphasizing a predominance of Garonne gravels layers, modeled in hilltops.
Presents a beautiful and luminous deep color. The aromas are distinctive, around ripe fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry, cherry…), underbrush, mild-spices and integrated toasting (grilled-smoked). The mouth is round with flesh, shaped by fine and racy tannins, balanced (on the fresh side) and a certain power. The finale is harmonious with a beautiful terroir expression.
ASSEMBLAGE : 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 42% Merlot
VINIFICATION & AGING : parcellar, 12 month aging in oak barrels
TERROIR : 2/3 garonnaise gravels & 1/3 clay
VINEYARD : 12.8 ha, 7500 vines/ha, 40 y.o. average
SERVICE: Serve in a decanter (45 min) at 17°C/62°F
CONSUMPTION: best starting from 5 years after the vintage
PRESERVATION: bottle flat, no sunlight, fresh and stable temperatures