Chateau Lalande-Borie Saint-Julien 2016

About

Château Lalande Borie was founded in 1970 by Jean Eugène Borie on the Lalande terroir to which he added his family name and that he bought that same year from a classified growth in Saint Julien.

Today, managed by Jean-Eugène Borie SA, this wine has rapidly created a fine reputation. It belongs to Mrs Jean-Eugène BORIE, her daughter Sabine COIFFE and her son Bruno Eugène (Chairman of the board of directors).

The 25ha of the present vineyard of Château Lalande Borie is planted with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. With a density of 8,500 vines per hectare, the vineyard is managed traditionally (Medoc, double Guyot pruning etc.), while including the latest viticultural techniques: leaf-thinning by hand, green harvests in summer, partial cover crop, control of yields and application of sustainable phytosanitary treatments.

At Château Lalande Borie, all the grapes are harvested manually. Sorting is carried out directly in the vines on mobile tables to avoid contact between unhealthy and healthy grapes during transport to the vat room. Alcoholic fermentation is managed at relatively low temperatures (between 26 and 28°) to optimise the fruity aromas of the wine. Pumping-over is gentle to avoid extracting too many tannins and obtain a pleasant fattiness. Malolactic fermentation of the free run wine and the press-wine (pneumatic pressing) takes place in vats for optimal control.

The wine is barrelled in Bordeaux barrels (225L, French oak) immediately after blend selection with 20 to 30% new barrels according to the vintage. Unselected batches are sold in bulk to the Bordeaux trade under the Saint-Julien appellation. Bottling is performed with special care in regard both to oenological controls and homogenisation of the overall final wine. The 5 cork makers supplying the estate have signed a detailed quality charter.

Chateau Lalande-Borie Saint-Julien 2016 is a blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, delivering 13.66% alcohol and matured in 30% new oak and the remainder oneyear old. There is something almost clinical about the nose, very pure, no frills (at the moment), hints of crushed violet emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, very harmonious and cohesive, citrus-like freshness from start to finish with a long and velvety blueberry and blackberry finish. This is very polished and it should give plenty of drinking pleasure for several years.