Château Chauvin 2014

Critic scores

• Wine Enthusiast93
• James Suckling92
• Decanter91

The 2014 vintage in Saint-Émilion

Vintage benchmark: 89/100 (appellation benchmark, not a score for this wine)

Vintage character: The Indian summer served the cabernet francs better than the merlots: sound, fresh wines, without great depth.

Overall reading of the year’s season across Saint-Émilion. An estate can depart from it sharply, in frost or hail years, where two neighbours did not make the same vintage. What this particular wine actually gave is on its technical sheet and in the scores above.

Tasting

This 2014 marks a new style of the property, the nose is fresh with a floral touch, the wine is elegant with subtle roundness, creaminess in the texture and a floral and spicy finish which has distinction.

Blend of the 2014 vintage

Figures from the 2014 sheet

• 30 yrsVine age

Winemaking

Alcoholic fermentation in thermoregulated stainless steel vats Cold pre-fermentation maceration Vatting for 20 to 30 days - gentle and slow extraction

Ageing

Oak barrels for 15 to 18 months 40% new barrels

Terroir

Château Chauvin lies in the north-west of the commune of Saint-Émilion, halfway between Cheval-Blanc and the Butte de Rol, close to the Pomerol appellation. Chauvin's terroir is of a clay-sand type; it benefits from the presence of pseudogley and of a crasse de fer (iron-rich hardpan) similar to that found in certain Pomerol terroirs. Thanks to its low water-retention capacity, the soil comes under water stress quickly, allowing the grapes to ripen faster. Effective drainage across the whole vineyard also ensures very good run-off during the wettest periods. The vineyard forms a single block around the property, which facilitates the meticulous vineyard work carried out by the château's teams throughout the growing season.