Chateau des Antonins Bordeaux Superieur 2018 375ml  £8.08

Chateau des Antonins Bordeaux Superieur 2018 375ml

Located southeast of Bordeaux, Château des Antonins is a family-run estate steeped in history. The estate, built in the 13th century, owes its name to the ‘Antonins’ monks who lived there for 500 years. A large part still survives today, including a toll bridge, chapel, monastery and various windmills. Phylloxera destroyed the vineyards in the late 19th century but the de Roquefeuil family, who have owned the estate since the 1850s, have gradually replanted vines, which today cover 25 hectares. Geoffroy and Martine de Roquefeuil took over in 1985, and have moved to sustainable farming. Their son Antoine spent time working in New Zealand before returning to the family estate as head winemaker in 2016. He took over management of the estate in 2020.

The vineyards sit on the left bank of the Garonne river. Only five hectares are planted with white grapes, split between 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon. The vines lie on predominantly sandy-loam soil, which lends elegance and lifted acidity to the wine. The remaining 20 hectares are planted with 65% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc on clay-gravel soil, which results in approachable wines with an excellent fruit concentration.

The Bordeaux Supérieur is a blend of 55% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc. The grapes undergo temperature-controlled fermentation at 27-30°C in stainless steel for three to four weeks, with regular racking and pumping over to extract colour and flavour. The final blend is then aged in stainless steel prior to bottling. The result is a rich, supple wine, packed with layers of pure red fruit and nuances of spice and black cherry.