Chateau Boutisse, St Emilion Grand Cru

Producer Note

Purchased in 1996, Château Boutisse is owned by winemaker and oenologist Xavier Milhade, together with his daughter Elodie and son Marc. It is located in the commune of Saint Christophe des Bardes, one of the top communes in AC St Emilion. It is a relatively large estate for St-Emilion with 25 hectares, mainly planted with Merlot. Huge investments have been poured into the vineyards since 1996 with several parcels of vines being completely replanted. Château Boutisse possesses excellent terroir; when the soil was ripped and prepared for planting, large chunks of the limestone were visible under the chalky clay topsoil. The majority of vines have wonderful southern exposure.

Vineyard

Situated near the highest point of the appellation, the 25 hectares of vineyard extend over the limestone plateau and slopes, not far from the medieval city. The limestone plays a major role in regulating the vine's water supply, creating the moisture stress that is necessary to obtain high quality grapes. The vines are trained according to the Double Guyot method and were grafted onto American rootstocks. Bunch thinning takes place in order to retain only the best bunches of these high quality grapes.

Winemaking

Vinified by parcel in a new state-of-the-art winery, the small squat thermoregulated tanks optimise the cap-juice ratio, thereby improving extraction. The grapes were cold soaked, followed by traditional vinification. 15% of the grapes were fermented in 500 litre oak barrels. The extraction was carried out by manual punching down or by rotating the barrels, with malolactic fermentation taking place in new oak barrels. The wine was fined with egg white and then aged on its fine lees with batonnage in a subtle selection of French oak, 40% of which was new, for a minimum of 12 months.

Tasting Note

A warm, intense bouquet of ripe, deep red fruits are backed by a hint of sweet toasted spice. Smooth, velvety and elegant on the palate, attractive notes of ripe fruits, mocha and spice envelope the well integrated tannins. An excellent freshness and roundness engages through to the fine finish.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with red meats, game and mature cheese

Grape

Merlot 80%, Cabernet Sauvignon 10%, Cabernet Franc 5%, Carmenère 5%