2018 Château de Garros Bordeaux Superieur L'Excellium

The soil is a mixture of gravel, clay and sand supplied by the river. The pebbles and gravel allow for a gradual cooling down at night (the stones hold the temperature) and this certainly makes a difference in early spring, making the vineyard more resistant to frost and cold. This gradual growth promotes the even ripening of the grapes and this makes the L'Excellium a beautifully concentrated and aromatic wine.

The small vineyard is located in the Sainte-Terre and is only 2.5 hectares in size so no mass production but focus on quality. The Merlot vineyard is around 40 years old and management and production takes place through sustainable agricultural techniques. After harvesting, the Merlot grapes are gently pressed and fermented for a minimum of 3 weeks. This is done in stainless steel vessels with temperature control. During fermentation, the wine is mixed with the lees 3 or 4 times a day to obtain an optimal extraction of the best tannins and a good color from the grapes. After that, the wine stays for another 12 months in new oak barrels and can therefore mature in peace. This Bordeaux Supérieur (official classification) has an attractive ripeness and freshness with red fruits such as a little raspberry, red currant and ripe red plums. On the palate, this medium bodied has finely chopped tannins and a balanced, soft finish. Connoisseurs know that 16 & 18 were top years in the Bordeaux and gives wines that are already good to drink (but decant for a while in the younger years) but also fine to put away for years to come. The wine has been awarded 90/100 points by James Suckling