# Château de Lussac (2016)

- **Producer:** SCEA du Château de Lussac
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Merlot, Cabernet Franc
- **Region:** Bordeaux, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.0%
- **Average price:** €20
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, blackberry, blackcurrant, violet, black pepper, vanilla, cloves, smoke, chocolate, tobacco, cedar, forest floor

## About this wine

Château de Lussac is a historic estate located in Lussac Saint-Émilion, one of the satellite appellations on Bordeaux's Right Bank. The property features a majestic Renaissance-style limestone castle built in 1876 for Gaston Montouroy. After a fire in 1898, the castle was rebuilt while its original brick-and-stone cellars remained intact. In 2000, Belgian owners Griet Van Malderen-Laviale and Hervé Laviale acquired the estate, modernizing the facilities with a state-of-the-art circular gravity-led vat room designed by architect Philippe Mazières. In 2022, Frédéric Stévenin took over the estate, continuing its legacy of producing high-quality, terroir-driven wines that offer Saint-Émilion Grand Cru-level complexity at an accessible price point.

## Interesting facts

- The estate features a unique circular gravity-led vat room designed by renowned architect Philippe Mazières.
- A massive fire in 1898 destroyed the original castle, but the historic brick-and-stone cellars survived.
- The clay-limestone soils of the Lussac plateau acted as a sponge to perfectly regulate water during the dry 2016 summer.

## Food pairing

This classic Right Bank Bordeaux blend pairs exceptionally well with rich, savory meats and earthy dishes. The medium-plus tannins and vibrant acidity cut through the fat of ribeye steak and roast beef, while the wine's subtle wood smoke and dark fruit notes complement the earthy, umami flavors of wild mushrooms and aged cheeses.

## Wine making process

The viticulture at Château de Lussac is managed sustainably under Agriculture Raisonnée standards across its clay-limestone plateau vineyards. The 2016 vintage benefited from clay soils that regulated water stress during a hot, dry summer. Harvest is conducted using a mix of manual and mechanical sorting. Fermentation takes place in a modern, gravity-fed circular vat room featuring 20 temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine is aged for 12 to 16 months in a carefully managed barrel program: 30% new French oak, 50% second-use and older French oak, and 20% stainless steel vats to preserve the vibrant fruit profile and avoid over-oaking.