Château Maucamps

Located in the Macau en Medoc region not far from the entry to the Margaux appellation. This chateau dates back to the 18th century and now covers 22.5 hectares planted mostly to Cabernet Sauvigon (60%) with Merlot making up 35% of the blend and Petit Verdot rounding out the classic blend with 5% of the final blend. Located not far from the Garonne river the soils here are classic Garonne gravels with a clay sub-soil giving wines of classic mellow character with relatively smooth tannins and an elegant and fine structure making these wines remarkably consistent and approachable even in their youth. The vineyard is maintained under sustainable viticulture guidelines with an average age of vines around 35yo. Harvest are all done manually and vinification is quite classic with temperature control capping the ferment temperature at 28c to retain freshness and with totp destemming and regular pump-overs 3 times a day the winemaking approach ensures gentle handling of fruit and a tendency towards finesse of tannins and structure. The percentage of new oak is kept to a minimum to ensure the fruit speaks clearly at all stages of the wines long and graceful evolution. These are wines which typically ages effortlessly for up to 20 years or more while also being enjoyable in their youth.

RED WINES

2020   Haut Medoc, Chateau Maucamps
’The nose is fruity, finely tight and it offers a small concentration, power, the freshness. It reveals the notes of blackberry, raspberry, violet, racy minerality, discreet hint of camphor, nutmeg, a subtle hint of pepper. The mouth is fruity and offers juiciness, the suavity and a good definition, a certain gourmandize, a small tension, suavity, a richness well controlled and a beautiful flesh of the fruit. The wine express the notes of raspberry, strawberry, violet associated with violet plum, as well as hint of cardamon, the caramelization, a discreet hint of sweet blonde tobacco. The tannins are precise and finely mellow. Good length. A discreet hint of star anis on the persistance.’ (90-91) points, Vertedevin, May 2021.

2018   Haut Medoc, Chateau Maucamps
’Balanced between tannins and black fruits, this wine is dense and solid, showing the opulent fruit of this vintage. It does have a structure and therefore aging potential, rich in blackberry flavors and with a dry core. Drink from 2023.’ 91 points, Roger Voss, The Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

2017   Haut Medoc, Chateau Maucamps
’Situated in the village of Macau just south of Margaux, the 47-acre vineyard has produced this wood-aged wine that shows plenty of ripe fruits. A touch of licorice goes with juicy blackberry fruits and acidity to balance the wine. It has a good future and this wine should be ready from 2023.’ 91 points, Roger Voss, The Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

2006   Haut Medoc, Chateau Maucamps - due August 2023

THE TESSANDIER FAMILY PORTFOLIO

Born in 1841, Emmanuel Tessandier was the manager of the Banque de France in Bordeaux and then in Paris. In 1875 he built Château Lescalle and created its vineyards on the palus soil (sand and clay), overlooking the Garonne. In 1954 the Tessandier family acquired Château Maucamps and over the following 60-odd years have added several more Châteaux to its portfolio. With the exception of Château Fontoy, all of the Châteaux and wines presented here are owned by the Tessandier family.

WINE NOTES

2021 Château Fontoy Blanc, AOC Entre-Deux-Mers
40 % Sauvignon Blanc, 40 % Semillon, 20 % Colombard, from the Château’s 24 hectare vineyard at Lugasson in Entre-Deux-Mers. The fruit is given 9 to 18 hours skin contact, then cool-fermented with fine lees in stainless steel tanks, followed by further elevage in tank.

Château Fontoy is owned by 7th generation winemaker Brigitte Miane and her husband Jean-Baptiste. The soils are clay-loams and the estate is certified HVE 3 (High Value Environmental Level 3). The name derives from the French word fontaine (fountain) as there is an underground water source that rises to the surface in the centre of the property.

2020 Château Terrefort Lescalle, AOC Bordeaux
80 % Merlot, 20 % Cabernet Sauvignon, largely from the younger vines and heavier clay plots at Château Lescalle (terre fort = strong earth), to give a more richly fruited wine for earlier consumption. The fruit is destemmed and fermented in a mix of stainless steel and concrete tanks. Extraction is via pump-overs once or twice a day during ferment (typically 3 to 4 weeks), followed by 12 months maturation in tank.

Château Lescalle was built in 1875 by Emmanuel Tessandier, who later became the Mayor of Macau from 1876 to 1880. The vineyard is planted on ‘palus’, the alluvial sandy clay found next to the river. It is only 200 metres from the Haut-Medoc appellation and just 3 minutes from Margaux.

2016 Château Les Paruades, AOC Bordeaux Supérieur
70 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 % Merlot, from a 3.5 hectare plot on palus closer to Château Maucamps. The fruit is destemmed and fermented in a mix of stainless steel and concrete tanks. Extraction is via pump-overs once or twice a day during ferment (typically 3 to 4 weeks), followed by 12 months maturation in tank.

2017 Delmonico, AOC Bordeaux Supérieur
65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, from palus soils at Château Lescalle. The fruit is destemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks. Extraction is via pump-overs three times a day during ferment (typically 3 to 4 weeks), followed by 24 months maturation in 30 % new French oak barriques.

Delmonico is named in honour of Delmonico’s restaurant in New York, the first fine dining restaurant in the USA, originally established in 1827. Moreover, the wine was designed to pair perfectly with its signature dish, Steak Delmonico. First listed in the mid-nineteenth century, Steak Delmonico is a thick-cut boneless rib-eye served with Potatoes Delmonico, mashed potatoes topped with grated cheese and buttered breadcrumbs, baked until golden brown.

2016 Château du Moulin Noir, AOC Lussac-Saint-Emilion
80 % Merlot, 20 % Cabernet Franc, from the 9.8 hectares of vineyard planted on the clay-limestone hills of Lussac-Saint-Emilion. The fruit is destemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks. Extraction is via pump-overs three times a day during ferment (typically 3 to 4 weeks), followed by 12 months maturation in 20-25 % new French oak barriques, depending on the vintage.

2017 Château Maucamps, AOC Haut-Medoc, Cru Bourgeois

55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, from the 22.5 hectare vineyard planted on Garonne gravel over clay at Macau-en-Medoc. The fruit is destemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks. Extraction is via pump-overs three times a day during ferment (typically 3 to 4 weeks), followed by 16 months maturation in 25-40 % new French oak barriques, depending on the vintage.