# Château Malescasse Haut-Médoc Cru Bourgeois (2015)

- **Producer:** SA Château Malescasse
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot
- **Region:** Bordeaux, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.0%
- **Average price:** €30
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 15–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** red plum, black plum, cedar, black cherry, raspberry, blackcurrant, chocolate, vanilla, coffee, cloves, leather, forest floor, tobacco, earth

## About this wine

Château Malescasse Haut-Médoc Cru Bourgeois 2015 is a red wine from the Haut-Médoc appellation in Bordeaux, France, produced by SA Château Malescasse. Classified as a Cru Bourgeois, the wine is a blend primarily of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. The estate's vineyard is situated in Lamarque, benefiting from a terroir of gravel, clay, limestone, and sand soils at the Médoc's highest elevation. The average vine age is 35 years. The 2015 vintage is noted for its harmonious growing season, contributing to the wine's structure and aging potential. The estate has a history dating back to 1824, with recent stewardship by Philippe Austruy since 2012, who has focused on enhancing quality with the support of Stéphane Derenoncourt's team.

## Interesting facts

- Vineyard sits at the Médoc's highest elevation.
- Estate founded in 1824.
- Modern winemaking guided by Stéphane Derenoncourt's team.
- Cru Bourgeois classification.

## Food pairing

The wine's medium-plus body and fine, sinewy tannins are well-suited to complement the richness of red meats and proteins. The structure of the wine can cut through fattier dishes, while its complexity can stand up to robust flavors. Dishes with earthy notes, like mushrooms or herbs, can echo the wine's subtle complexities.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process at Château Malescasse for the 2015 vintage involves fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats, utilizing gentle punching-down techniques for tannin extraction over a period of about four weeks. Malolactic fermentation occurs in either vats or barrels. Following fermentation, the wine undergoes aging for 12 to 14 months in French oak barrels, with 25% to 40% of these being new oak. Harvests are predominantly manual, with sorting conducted both in the vineyard and at the winery. The vineyard management for the 2015 vintage was influenced by a warm, dry summer and subsequent rains, necessitating attention to drainage.