# Château de Castelneau Bordeaux Supérieur Rouge (2001)

- **Producer:** Château de Castelneau
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon
- **Region:** Bordeaux, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.0%
- **Average price:** €23
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now
- **Serving temperature:** 15–17 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, blackcurrant, blackberry, vanilla, cedar, forest floor, leather, cinnamon, tobacco

## About this wine

Château de Castelneau is a historic estate located in Saint-Léon, within the Entre-deux-Mers sub-region of Bordeaux, France. Sited on a high plateau overlooking the Garonne and Dordogne valleys, the estate is built over an 11th-century feudal mound and features a fortified 14th-century castle. The property has been cared for by the Seignouret-Roquefeuil family for nine generations since the French Revolution. Today, the estate is managed by Loïc and Diane de Roquefeuil, alongside their oenologist son Émilion. The family practices sustainable viticulture, maintaining natural hedges to foster biodiversity and holding High Environmental Value (HVE) certification.

## Interesting facts

- The estate is built over an 11th-century feudal mound and features a fortified 14th-century castle with massive corner towers and a dry moat.
- Located in Saint-Léon, the estate sits in the 'Mesopotamia of Aquitaine,' a historic region nestled between the Garonne and Dordogne rivers.
- Co-owner Vicomte Loïc de Roquefeuil founded one of Paris's first trendy wine bars in 1979 and created a hit wine board game that sold 60,000 copies.
- The estate has rejected insecticides for over 30 years, planting natural hedges named after the owners' children to encourage biodiversity.

## Food pairing

This mature Bordeaux Supérieur pairs beautifully with rich, savory meats and earthy dishes. The wine's resolved, velvety tannins and vibrant acidity cut through the fat of roasted beef and lamb, while its tertiary notes of forest floor and cedar complement slow-cooked game and stews. Mature hard cheeses also harmonize with the wine's complex, aged profile.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for this Bordeaux Supérieur follows traditional methods. Grapes are harvested from the estate's 23 hectares of red varieties, which are grown on clay-limestone and clay-siliceous soils. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled vats to preserve the natural freshness and fruit character of the grapes. Following fermentation, the wine is partially aged in French oak barrels ('en fût') to integrate the tannins and add structural complexity without overpowering the fruit. The entire process, from vinification to bottling, corking, and labeling, is completed on-site at the estate.