Château Plantey Pauillac 2020 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is an excellent follow-up to the lovely 2018 Château Plantey from Bordeaux that I enjoyed last April. This latest vintage arrived at the LCBO a few weeks ago in the March 21st LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Château Plantey is situated in the prestigious Pauillac appellation within Haut-Médoc on Bordeaux's Left Bank. The Pauillac appellation bears almost a third of the 60 classified growths in the 1855 classification and these prestigious estates represent 85% of the surface area of the appellation. The remaining 15% of the area, which represents a few dozen hectares, leaves room for more discreet names, such as Château Plantey.

The small village of Pauillac is located on the west (left) bank of the Gironde, while Château Plantey is only a couple of kilometres west of the village centre. Château Plantey is an old property which used to be owned by the De Gerès family from Loupes, Seigneurs of Camarsac. It was purchased by prominent winegrower Gabriel Meffre, who was originally from Vaucluse, in 1958, along with other properties in the nearby regions of Saint-Estèphe and Saint-Julien.

Today, Château Plantey is owned by Claude Meffre, son of Gabriel. Claude joined the family business in 1996 and first managed property in Saint-Estèphe - Château La Commanderie. Starting in 2000, Claude began managing Château Plantey.

Like the last vintage, this red wine is crafted with 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Left Bank Bordeaux cru bourgeois appellation of Pauillac. While most red wines from the Left Bank are Cabernet Sauvignon-driven, this red wine is unique in that it is a blend of equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The 27 hectares of vines average 30 years old, reside in an area about 30 metres higher than the area surrounding them, and are planted on sandy-gravelly soils. After harvesting the grapes, they underwent traditional Bordeaux vinification, followed by ageing for 12 months in barrels.

The 2020 growing season in Bordeaux produced yet another high-quality vintage. It began with a rainy winter that provided ample water reserves. However, the rain stretched into spring, which led to severe mildew pressures. Summer was hot and dry, which resulted in an earlier harvest. September brought warm days and chilly nights, which was ideal for the grapes to reach phenolic ripeness. From a superb vintage, which some consider a legendary modern classic, let's see how this 2020 Bordeaux red wine is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU PLANTEY PAUILLAC 2020 - Sustainable, AOC, Bordeaux, France (#38192) (XD) - $34.95
This 50/50 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon is fresh, open, and lifted, with a medium-high intensity nose offering lovely, well-balanced aromas of ripe red & black fruits, currant, cassis, blackberry, and peppery spice layered over savoury earth with accents of graphite and floral. On the dry, medium-full bodied palate it is well-structured with lovely red & black fruit, currant, cassis, graphite, earth, spice, and black cherry flavours in a complex profile. Acids are juicy and structured, while the youthful, grippy, and chalky textured tannins will reward cellaring. Savoury with graphite and mineral notes lingering on the juicy finish, with excellent length. Enjoy this highly recommended buy over the coming 8-9 years. Score: 92 pts

Larger quantities of this lovely wine can be ordered through their Agent - Dionysus Wines & Spirits.

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Château Plantey 2018 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is an excellent Cru Bourgeois Cab-Merlot from the Pauillac appellation on the Left Bank of Bordeaux. It made its debut at the LCBO and was featured as part of the theme exploring France's top wine regions in the February 1st LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Château Plantey is situated in the winegrowing commune and appellation of Pauillac, within Haut-Médoc in Bordeaux. The small village of Pauillac is located on the west bank of the Gironde, while Château Plantey is only a couple of kilometres west of the village centre. Château Plantey is an old property which used to be owned by the De Gerès family from Loupes, Seigneurs of Camarsac.

In 1958, the vineyard was purchased by Gabriel Meffre. A former print media journalist for twelve years, Claude Meffre, son of Gabriel, now owns Château Plantey. Claude decided to join the family business in 1996 and first managed Château La Commanderie in Saint-Estèphe. From 2000, Claude has managed Château Plantey.

With most red wines from the Left Bank being Cabernet Sauvignon-based blends, this red wine from Pauillac is also a blend that consists of 50/50 Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that was grown on the exceptional terroir around the château, which is located in the commune of Pauillac, just north of the hamlet of Artigues, about 2 km inland from the shores of the Gironde. The 27 hectares of vines, which sit about 30 metres higher than the area surrounding them, average 30 years old and are planted on chalky clay and gravel soil. The grapes were harvested by hand and mechanically, then traditionally vinified with thermoregulation in vats for three weeks. The wine was aged for 12 months in a combination of both vats and barrels, with 25% of the barrels new. In the 2018 vintage, Château Plantey was the only Cru Bourgeois listed from Pauillac.

The 2018 vintage in Pauillac began with a relatively mild winter, followed by very complex weather at the beginning of the season, with a deluge of rain and permanently high humidity until mid-July. From the rest of July through September, conditions were incredible, including searing heat, and perfect for achieving great maturity. While the 2018 vintage in Pauillac is considered to be excellent, some of the wines showed a slightly overcooked character, as well as some inconsistencies across the region in quality. Let's see how this 2018 Bordeaux red wine from Pauillac is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU PLANTEY 2018 - AC Pauillac, Bordeaux, France (#38192) (XD) - $44.95
This Cru Bourgeois is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot and has a lovely, elegant, and medium-high to highly aromatic nose of ripe red & black fruits, currant, and cassis aromas layered over earthy-smoky minerality, graphite, and accents of red cherry notes. The weighty, medium-full to full-bodied is dry with medium-firm, well-structured, ripe and slightly chewy tannins that are smooth and fine grained. Ripe flavours of red & black fruits, currant, cassis, black cherry surround a savoury core of earthy minerality and graphite. Touch chalky and grippy textured on the mid-palate, along with some warmth, but still well-balanced. Quite elegant throughout with savoury, graphite mineral notes lingering on the exceptionally long finish. Lovely! Enjoy this highly recommended buy into the early 2030s. Score: 92+ pts

While this wine appears to be sold out at the LCBO, you may be able to get your hands on it through their Agent - Churchill Cellars.

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