# Château Tour Sieujean Pauillac Red Blend (2023)

- **Producer:** Château Tour Sieujean
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
- **Region:** Bordeaux, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €36
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** blackcurrant, plum, mint, cedar, smoke

## About this wine

Château Tour Sieujean takes its name from an ancient 10th-century feudal tower situated on the property. Owned by the Lopez and Chaumont families for four generations since 1950, the estate previously delivered its grapes to a local cooperative before Catherine and Stéphane Chaumont built a dedicated cellar in 2003 to resume independent winemaking. Located on the deep gravel ridges of Saint-Laurent-du-Médoc right on the boundary of Pauillac, it remains one of the very few family-run, artisanal estates producing bottled wine in a region heavily dominated by famous Grand Cru Classé properties.

## Interesting facts

- The estate is named after a preserved 10th-century feudal tower situated directly on the vineyard grounds.
- It is one of the rare artisanal Cru Artisan estates in Pauillac, where 18 Grand Cru Classé châteaux own 85% of the land.
- The vineyard features high-density planting at 10,000 vines per hectare using traditional massal selection.

## Food pairing

The structured tannins and vibrant acidity of this Cabernet-dominant Left Bank blend cut effortlessly through rich animal fats and proteins, softening the overall texture on the palate. Furthermore, savory, earthy notes in the wine harmonize naturally with wild forest mushrooms, herbs, and aged hard cheeses.

## Wine making process

The vineyard is farmed using sustainable viticultural methods with complete grass cover between rows to control vine vigor naturally. Grapes are harvested manually at optimum maturity from high-density plantings. Fermentation occurs in a modern, temperature-controlled winery using ambient yeasts, followed by complete malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged for 12 to 16 months in French oak barrels, with a high proportion of new oak depending on the characteristics of the vintage.