Château La Violette 2021

Château La Violette is a tiny estate of 1.8 hectares situated on the Pomerol plateau between Château Trotanoy and Le Pin.  Its terroir is clay and gravel soil.

On the heights of the famous Pomerol plateau with iron deposits in the sub-soil, « The Saint of Saints » according to the world renowned oenologist Michel Rolland, in Catusseau, the Château LA VIOLETTE, takes its name from an original and exquisite scent of violets that has forever seduced the finest of palates…

This property, the fine flower of Pomerol, with a 1.8hectare vineyard, bought out by VIGNOBLES PÉRÉ-VERGÉ in 2006, already owners of the prestigious Château LE GAY and Château MONTVIEL in the same appellation.

Having been in Pomerol since 1985, Catherine PÉRÉ-VERGÉ had managed, in just 20 years of winemaking experience, to provide all of the measure of her energy and her motivation by giving to each one of her properties, their ranking at the summit of the appellation and by consolidating their renown.  This was her will for Château LA VIOLETTE.

"Generous, full flavored with a delicate bouquet, of great finesse…and added to that a subtle reminder of violets for the pleasure of the palate". It is on these terms, at the end of the 19th Century that a famous Bordeaux wine connoisseur described the wine that he discovered at the chateau. This high-praise inspired the proprietor to give the name to his cuvee, with a longstanding reputation. 

In the vineyard consisting of 4 plots situated at the top of the plateau, the work is very meticulous with de-budding, green harvesting and leaf thinning depending on the age of the vines and of each individual plot. Since 2006, 2 to 3 pickings are undertaken on the same plot to harvest the grapes. The harvest is all hand-picked in small cartons to keep the grape bunches in impeccable condition before the manual de-stemming that is done by a team of 60 individuals. This is so that only the entire grape berry goes into the new oak barrels. The vinifications are directly carried out in barrels during 18 months. They are followed by the oenologist, Michel Rolland, who adds… « The extraction is significantly slower, therefore softer, the surface area contact between the must and the wood is greater than in the wooden vat.  The objective is to produce an unctuous, charming, fleshy wine, in which the complete expression of the fruit is preserved ». « Pomerol is a jewel that obliges us to go beyond our limits. Our objective is both extraordinarily simple and of an extremely ambitious undertaking : To draw the best from the vines each year, regardless of the weather conditions ».

(Credit: Chateau La Violette)

"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 (4/1/2022) Rating: 93

"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) Rating: 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 (5/12/2022) Rating: 93-95