Château Massereau
« 6, La Pachère »
33720 BARSAC
Tél. : +33 (0)5 56 27 46 62
When it comes to winegrowing, the only fatality is a lack of quality, even truth, in the vineyard and in the wines. At Massereau, the 11 hectares of beautiful terroir have a clear understanding of this requirement, and it's with great dedication and a great deal of sportsmanship that the Chaigneau brothers, a family of tennis players, win in 3 sets an important match on the road to deserved recognition.
In the commune and appellation of Barsac - one of the great strongholds of the Gironde's famous sweet wines, along with Sauternes - Jean-François and Philippe Chaigneau's 11 hectares of “La Pachère” vineyard express their talent with obvious dexterity. This little corner of green and yellow paradise, in the land of bottled gold, adjoins the Ciron: the tree-sheltered confluence of the Garonne, the source of the famous morning mists that are so beneficial to Gironde sweet appellations. A detail of nature - botrytizing in nobility, Semillon and Sauvignon - which the estate knows perfectly well how to take advantage of in a “Barsac maison”: the “M” of Château Massereau. This sweet but not syrupy bottle, obtained with disconcerting patience - by picking 100% botrytized berries at the roasted stage (up to 12 selections on the vine, depending on the desired result) - is refined, straightforward, very well-balanced and of infinite aromatic breed. A dream wine, subtle and haute couture, unashamedly rivaling the lords of the appellation. A Barsac born of those ochre soils so particular to the appellation; in fact, parcels of sandy-limestone on limestone bedrock. This limestone outcrops in certain places and ensures the minerality and finesse of the nectar - not to mention the longevity of the wines - when the vines and grapes flourish in optimal conditions. In any case, here, we've decided to do our utmost and never stray from this course.
The Chaigneau brothers have agreed to take up a real challenge on the red soil of Barsac, a favorite playground for these two former sportsmen who handle clay racquets with brio. Since the 2000 vintage, it's been a family affair here - with parents and grandparents - where winegrowing competition is played out (not without fair play) and where extreme viticulture is practised with passion, without pretence, on a lovely 21-hectare estate which is none other than a former 16th-century estate of the Dukes of Epernon. It's a viticulture marked by a rejection of conventional wisdom and standard wines. And this demonstrated skill is the absolute quest for excellence, avoiding as far as possible the counter-performance of a banal vintage.
Philippe (the property's sales and marketing manager) and Jean-François (a trained oenologist with winemaking experience in Saint-Emilion, Pomerol and the Médoc) are no novices in this field. Their desire to manage an estate in a way that respects the environment - for the benefit of the land, the vines and the grapes - is not a recent trend. In fact, here, we reject all fads and labels that lead to the trap of caricature. To the point of “dotting the I's and crossing the T's” by rightly differentiating between organic farming, lutte raisonnée, bio and biodynamics. So as not to be accused of facile commercialism, lack of rigor in the elaboration of so-called “organic” wines or esotericism - areas where nuance and prudence sometimes deserve greater prominence - the Chaigneau brothers prefer common sense: organic farming. A culture of prevention which, with homeopathy, protects the vines from disease, precisely by avoiding all phytosanitary treatments which inevitably degrade the immune defenses of the vines and grapes. This logic is carried through to the cellar - where everything has been equipped - avoiding chaptalization, acidification, fining and filtration (at least very lightly)...
A work of goldsmithery in short. And it's fair to say that the charismatic duo of Jean-François and Philippe know how to use old-fashioned tools to awaken a terroir with profound qualities. Just look at the pleasure they take in the effort they put in when they walk their vines, or press the old-fashioned way for 14 hours, each baste with the wooden ratchet press - a rare item these days - to sweat the botrytis out of 120 l of golden juice: a gold that will become the “M” of Massereau. In fact, it's more than just a letter, it's a mark of quality, a genuine brand that has found its place in niche markets, on the most demanding tables in France and Europe. Far from folklore or theatrics, this is an unromanticized, unartificial scene of winegrowing life played out before our very eyes.
To let the earth and the grapes speak naturally, in small vintages as well as in large to very large ones, to deepen quality by always working the soils, by choosing low yields, by setting themselves the goal of always going further, whatever the sacrifice or the cost, is a behavior that doesn't always meet with unanimous approval, but it's the vineyard and winemaking ethic that Philippe and Jean-François have chosen. To achieve this, three appellations enable them to exercise their talent for selecting the best plots and grapes. This meritorious attitude is illustrated at various stages, with tastings, in a very wide and rational range of wines, each with its own typicity (in three appellations) and soul. And the common denominator between them all: an expression described as sincere, authentic and truthful, with the utmost attention to detail. Whether it's the highly select Massereau “M” - made from an incredibly low yield of 10 to 13 hl/hectare on a 1.20 ha plot - or the Bordeaux Supérieur “K” cuvée, the spearhead of the range, which would silence the badmouths decrying the appellation's capacity; or the Graves rouge and Bordeaux Clairet (atypical in more ways than one)... all these wines are proof by the glass of a reassuring know-how, of an uncompromising commitment to the mission of producing wines for demanding, even very demanding, connoisseurs in both the large-scale catering and niche markets for these wines of great tradition without lacking a touch of madness.
For those who wish to be convinced of the sincerity of the profession and the extreme conception of vine and wine practiced by this striking duo, tasting the estate's wines remains the most concrete attitude. The two brothers' fierce desire to stand out from the crowd - not always without upsetting long-established attitudes in the Sauternes region - is only possible thanks to the natural predisposition of their vineyards. Together, they form a formidable human machine for expressing quality in natural wines of great character.
The house wines cover a wide range of olfactory and gustatory sensations, each with its own personality. The estate produces Massereau “K” (AOC Bordeaux Supérieur), the cuvée traditionnelle (AOC Bordeaux Supérieur), Château Massereau (AOC Graves rouge), Massereau cuvée “X” (Vin de France) and the Clairet de Château Massereau (AOC Bordeaux Clairet), the Rouge éclairé (a Vin de France made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, topped up with 10% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, depending on the vintage), and the cuvée Lola (dry white). Finally, in a very upmarket, Premium approach, which is also the subject of a boxed set called “Vibration”, the estate vinifies three first-rate elixirs, the cuvées Socrate, Eliott (Graves rouge) and “M” de Massereau (AOC Barsac-Sauternes).
This cuvée was produced for the first time with the 2011 vintage. Made from 60-70% Merlot, 20-30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, Cuvée “X” is a Vin de France. This wine, vinified in cement vats and aged either in barrels for 2 years, or in vats if the vintage doesn't allow it, is an accessible, very fruity wine that offers a lot of deliciousness. The palate is caressing and fruity. A wine that can be kept for over 10 years.
Cuvée Eliott is an AOC Graves wine produced in very low volumes - 600 bottles - for a niche market. Made from a drastic selection of lightly destemmed and hand-pressed grapes, with a light punching of the cap before being put directly into barrels, the cuvée is 100% Petit Verdot. This grape variety, which is found mainly in the Médoc, thrives at Massereau and comes from old vines selected by massal selection. The wine is a marvel of precision and balance, blending aromatic freshness and taste with power on the palate in terms of concentration and volume (wine weight). The nose, full of olfactory tension, is complex and very rich in aromas (including the spices characteristic of the Petit Verdot grape), even if it doesn't say everything in its youth. The palate is sensual, full-bodied, lively and chiselled, with creamy tannins. A high-flying wine designed for great ageing: 15 to 30 years.
According to the owners, this wine embodies the soul of the estate, and represents no less than 40% of total production (around 20,000 bottles). Château Massereau's Cuvée K is a Bordeaux Supérieur made from 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot and 25% Petit Verdot. The wine is elegant, fruity and generous, with a structure and well-coated tannins on the palate. Accessible in its youth, this wine can be aged for up to ten years.
Château Massereau's “Rouge éclairé” cuvée is a Vin de France made primarily from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with the addition of 10% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot depending on the quality of the vintage. This wine is a “gastronomic” rosé par excellence, and takes its “concept” from Claret (the light red wine so dear to the English when Aquitaine was English). In other words, a Clairet or Claret that's a little atypical compared to other wines of this type in the region, made from a selection of plots. The wine undergoes pellicular maceration (which gives it its density), followed by fermentation and barrel ageing for 3 years, during which time it is regularly “bâtonné” on its lees to avoid sulfiting. Pleasant, greedy and full-bodied in its youth, this “rosé” wine is just as well cut out for a little longevity (between 5 and 8 years) as gastronomy rosés, which are generally denser, more tannic and fuller-bodied.
This sumptuous wine is made from a drastic selection of lightly hand-pressed, de-stemmed grapes, which are then placed directly into new, open barrels, punctuated by light punching of the cap, all by gravitation. Château Massereau's “Socrate” cuvée is then aged for 20 to 24 months in barrels. The blend explains the complexity of this wine, which is only produced in 2000 cols (bottles). Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Merlot à queue rouge and Petit Verdot are equally represented (20% each), creating a deep, dense, complex, taut Graves wine with an impressive weight on the palate worthy of the Médoc crus classés in great Cabernet years. The whole wine is pure, racy and aristocratic. A marvel!
Like the “Socrate” cuvée from Château Massereau, this wine is the flagship of the estate. For a very long time, the Chaigneau brothers have been demonstrating their expertise in the production of a beautiful liquoreux that has never suffered from imbalance, as it boasts a highly digestible taste balance. This wine is not syrup, but a sharp Barsac - Sauternes, as we like them, with a tension and freshness that are disconcerting in every vintage. Massereau's “M” cuvée is made by successive selections (grape by grape, depending on the botrytization stage of the berries). Depending on the vintage, these successive selections can represent up to 12 passages through the same row of vines. That's how demanding the winemakers are here to obtain the grail: the “rotten” stage, guaranteeing purity, aromatic concentration and freshness of taste. This Barsac-Sauternes is pressed by hand in an old-fashioned vertical press known as a “press à cliquet”. Muscadelle and Semillon are used in the blending of this beautiful sweet wine. Flattering young, the wine is no less eloquent with “bottle age”; in other words, when the wine has been in the bottle for between 10 and 15 years. Naturally, this chiselled, precise and airy liquoreux gains in complexity with many more years in bottle, if you know how to wait.
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