# Château Le Puy Cuvée Émilien (2022)

- **Producer:** Château Le Puy
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Carménère
- **Region:** Bordeaux, France
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 14.2%
- **Average price:** €60
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, raspberry, blackcurrant, violet, black pepper, chocolate, cloves, leather, mushroom

## About this wine

Château Le Puy is located in Saint-Cibard on the Right Bank of Bordeaux, situated at one of the highest geodesic points in the Gironde department. The Amoreau family has tended this estate since 1610, spanning 15 generations of continuous family ownership. The Cuvée Émilien honors Émilien Amoreau, who was the third recorded winemaker in the family lineage during the 17th century. The estate voluntarily withdrew from the local AOC in 2017 to adopt the Vin de France designation, granting them total freedom in their organic viticultural methods. Château Le Puy achieved global cult status when it was highlighted as a central focus in the popular Japanese manga and television series Drops of God.

## Interesting facts

- The Amoreau family has farmed Château Le Puy continuously for over 400 years across 15 generations without synthetic chemicals.
- Château Le Puy gained global cult status after being featured as the central wine in the famous Japanese manga series Drops of God.
- The estate uses horses of five different breeds to till the soils in order to prevent uniform ground compaction.

## Food pairing

The combination of ripe, medium-plus tannins and refreshing acidity makes this wine an ideal match for rich, savory proteins and earthy components. High acidity cuts cleanly through fat, while natural tannins pair effortlessly with the protein structure of duck, lamb, or beef. Earthy and herbal accents like wild mushrooms and rosemary complement the complex, natural profile of the wine.

## Wine making process

The grapes are sourced from 50-year-old vines grown on a deep clay-limestone plateau over flint bedrock. Viticulture is certified organic and biodynamic by Demeter, featuring horse-tilled soils and manual harvesting with meticulous sorting. Vinification relies entirely on indigenous yeasts for a spontaneous fermentation in open concrete vats. The process utilizes a gentle submerged-cap maceration over two to four weeks without forced mechanical extraction or added sulfur dioxide during fermentation. Aging lasts 24 months according to lunar cycles: the first year in 50-hectoliter oak casks (foudres) and the second in neutral 225-liter oak barrels, with no new oak utilized. The wine is bottled without fining or filtration.