Château Guillou 2016 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this delicious red wine from Bordeaux that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the June 12th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Château Guillou has been winegrowing in its current form since 1870. It is located within the Montagne-Saint-Émilion AOC, a satellite of the Saint-Émilion appellation, on the Right Bank of the Dordogne River in Bordeaux. The Château's 62 hectares of vines are mostly located on a plateau with clay-limestone soils, and hillsides with clayey-silty soils. Today, the wines of Château Guillou are produced by Vignobles Jean-Bernard Saby & Fils, a family that has been making wine for nine generations since the 18th century.

I last enjoyed the 2014 Château Guillou nearly five years ago when it came through VINTAGES in November 2016. It is typically a blend of mostly Merlot and some Cabernet Franc, with the exact composition varying slightly each vintage. This particular vintage consists of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, which is more Merlot than the last time I tasted this wine. The grapes were hand-picked and sorted, fermented in temperature-controlled tanks, then aged in a combination of new and used oak barrels. Although the 2016 vintage was mixed across Right Bank appellations, some estates produced their best wines ever. Let's see how this lovely Bordeaux red wine is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU GUILLOU 2016 - AC Montagne-Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France (#140483) (XD) - $23.95
Composed of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the fresh, open, medium-high to highly aromatic nose is ripe, plummy, and dark berry scented with some lovely floral, sweet spice, and licorice notes adding interest and complexity. It's medium-full to full-bodied with lovely savoury, earthy, tobacco, and dark berry flavours, while the acidity is fresh and juicy. Tannins are smooth with a very fine, dusty texture, yet still somewhat chalky and drying. Savoury, earthy, and chocolatey oak notes linger on the long finish. An impressive step up from previous vintages. Highly recommended buy to enjoy over the next few years. Score: 91 pts

Other lovely wines from Vignobles Jean-Bernard Saby & Fils can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.