2008 Chateau Poitevin Medoc, Cru Bourgeois
Mission Codename: Second to None
Operative: Agent White
Objective: Visit the Medoc and secure an exclusive allocation of a Cru Bourgeois for our operatives.
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Chateau Poitevin
Wine Subject: 2008 Medoc, Cru Bourgeois
Winemaker: Guillaume Poitevin
Backgrounder: The Médoc, on the tip of the Rive Gauche gets its name from the Latin medio aquaebecause it lies between the estuary of the the Girondeand the Atlantic Ocean. The region is best know as the home of some of Bordeaux best, and most expensive, wines. Many of the top wineries however, produce second and third label wines that while are not totally comparable to their top-shelf brethren, are extremely enjoyable. The wines of this region tend to be Cabernet Sauvignon dominated blended with any number of the other fine grapes in the region.
Today’s selection is 55% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and is designated Cru Bourgeois.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Dark garnet with ruby red streaks and reflections that shine through its deeply hued but clear hear. Along the edges, the color only slightly pales. When swirled, evenly spaced medium thick legs race down the side of the glass to the wine below.
Smell – Bold and redolent with its green herbal, fennel and forest earth undertones frame the dark red and black fruit including black cherry, plum and ripe blackberry. Complex notes of cigar box, bittersweet chocolate and even some savory notes lead you in.
Feel – This dry wine is medium bodied with finely grained tannins and dusty minerality that balances its lively acidity providing well structured and mildly chewy mouthfeel.
Taste – Black cherry, plum and other dark fruit blend with the herbal, forest earth and savory notes found on the nose. A touch of bittersweet chocolate, tar and dark minerals are both felt and tasted. Slightly restrained on the palate, something that wouldn’t be evident from the bold nose gives this wine an elegant flavor profile..
Finish – Long and clean with the fresh sweetness of the fruit fading first leaving behind just hints of those flavors that linger with the other flavors while the mouth drying tannins and minerality that lasts and lasts.
Conclusion – The 2008 Chateau Poitevin Medoc, Cru Bourgeois is a lovely wine that surprises you with its rich and bold nose and its more restrained old-world palate. Clean and fresh with approachable complexity. A pleasant wine that can be easily enjoyed, especially considering its medium-bodied palate, with a variety of foods, dried or grilled meats. Enjoy this wine now, after decanting or cellar for the next three to five years.
Mission Report:
WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER
SUBJECT: Guillaume Poitevin
WINE EDUCATION: Advanced certification in viticulture
WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Making the most of the grapes by adapting the method of vinification each vintage
WINEMAKER INTERVIEW
AGENT RED: Greetings, Guillaume Poitevin. We are thrilled to be showing your 2008 Chateau Poitevin Medoc, Cru Bourgeois today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.
GUILLAUME: Thank you for featuring our wine today.
WHITE: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?
GUILLAUME: The recovery of property from the working with the cooperative to going out on our own.
WHITE: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?
GUILLAUME: Consulting oenolgist Anoine Médeville, And I was raised on wine and in the vineyards!
WHITE: How would you recommend that people approach the wines of Chateau Poitebin, or wine in general?
GUILLAUME: In all cases, we need people to enjoy themselves with a wine that matches their tastes.
WHITE: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?
GUILLAUME: It’s April so we are doing work in the vineyards.
WHITE: What is your favorite wine to drink every day?
GUILLAUME: The white wine we produce with fish and our reds for the rest of the meats
WHITE: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The approximate location of the Chateau Poitevin can be seen in this satellite photo.