Château La Violette 2021

Château La Violette is nestled in the heart of the prestigious Pomerol appellation on Bordeaux’s Right Bank, in southwestern France. This tiny, exclusive estate is situated on the Pomerol plateau, positioned between Château Trotanoy and Château Le Pin. Despite its modest size, La Violette enjoys a prime location that contributes significantly to its exceptional reputation.

Château La Violette has a long but quiet history, dating back to 1985. It remained relatively under the radar until its acquisition in 2006 by Catherine Péré-Vergé, a visionary figure in the wine world who also owned Château Le Gay and Château Montviel. Her efforts quickly propelled La Violette into the spotlight as one of Pomerol’s rising stars.

The vineyard of Château La Violette is exceptionally small — it covers only 1.8 hectares (about 4.5 acres) and is composed of 4 plots situated at the top of the plateau. It is one of the smallest grand estates in Bordeaux. The terroir is remarkable: the vines are planted on the renowned blue clay soils of Pomerol, interspersed with gravel and iron-rich subsoils (known locally as crasse de fer). The old Merlot vines, some of which are over 50 years old, are meticulously tended, with yields kept extremely low to maximize concentration and quality.

The vineyard work is carried out with exceptional care, including practices such as de-budding, green harvesting, and leaf thinning, tailored to the age of the vines and the specific characteristics of each plot. Since 2006, the estate has implemented multiple harvests per plot, with 2 to 3 pickings for each, ensuring optimal ripeness. The grapes are carefully hand-picked into small cartons, preserving their integrity before being manually de-stemmed by a skilled team of 60 workers. This meticulous process ensures that only whole, unbroken berries are placed into the new oak barrels for fermentation. The wine undergoes barrel fermentation for 18 months.

Château La Violette is celebrated for its elegance, richness, and unmistakable aromatic profile. True to its name, the wine exudes floral notes, particularly violet, alongside layers of dark fruit, spice, and truffle. Crafted entirely from 100% Merlot, it displays a sensual texture, fine-grained tannins, and a lingering, polished finish. Vinification is done with extraordinary care, including fermentation in small oak barrels and aging in 100% new French oak, contributing to its refined structure and aging potential. 

"More red and black fruits, truffle, spice, and floral notes emerge from the 2021 Château La Violette, a medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured, seamless effort that has gorgeous tannins, a layered, expansive mouthfeel, and outstanding length. It's one of the gems in the vintage that already offers pleasure today yet will benefit from just a few years in the cellar and evolve for 15 years if well stored. IT's a beautiful, complex, elegant Pomerol that does everything right in the vintage." Jeb Dunnuck, (04/03/2024), Ratings: 94, Drink: 2026-2041

"Espresso beans, roasted plums, incense, spice, black cherries, flowers and wet earth fill the nose. On the palate, the wine is plush and polished, soft, silky and fresh with concentrated layers of espresso tinted, spicy cherries, plums, cocoa and blackberries as well as a touch of chalk in the endnote. 13.4% ABV, the harvest took place September 29-October 4. The yields were low at 20 hectoliters hectare, about half of the normal production, so this is going to be very hard, if not impossible to find after release."- Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider (5/16/2022), Ratings: 93-95 

"The 2021 La Violette has a typically precocious bouquet with violet-tinged blackberry and cassis fruit. The oak is nicely integrated and it feels less ostentatious than previous vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannins and good grip. This is very pure with a dash of black pepper infusing the mélange of black and blue fruit. There is plenty of substance on the finish that should ensure this Pomerol will age well in bottle." - Neal Martin, Vinous (05/12/2022, Ratings: 93-95

"High oak impact, with tar and liqourice root, enjoyable raspberry and redcurrant fruit. This has Pomerol signature which is not true with all wines from the appellation in 2021, even with an austerity to the tannins that is holding back the typical generosity of La Violette at this point, but the floral aromatics come out with some coaxing. Vignobles Péré-Vergé." - Jane Anson, (12/07/2023), Ratings: 93, Drink: 2025-2040

"Subtle floral nose, blackcurrants and purple flowers - some red cherry and perfume too which continues on the palate. I like the boldness here, this is dark and serious and you get that chocolate and liquorice more than the overt fruit or acidity at the moment. Quite strict, focused in one layer from start to finish. It has good clarity and precision, feels clean and well worked with a crispness as well as a firm backbone that drives the wine. It’s just a little sombre and serious but dedicated. Shows lots of promise." - Georgina Hindle (04/01/2022), Ratings: 93