Château Le Bon Pasteur 2015

For wine lovers who enjoy the softness of a ripe, lush Pomerol but also the power of a bold, mineral-driven Saint-Émilion, Château Le Bon Pasteur is a producer that is well worth discovering.  This property is significant not just because the quality of its wines, but because of its strong connection with a very influential Bordeaux consultant, one who many vignerons consider to be the best blender in all of Bordeaux – Michel Rolland.
 
Like many of the top tier Pomerol properties, Château Le Bon Pasteur dates to the 1920s.  The tiny house that is now a tasting room was built in 1865.   In Bordeaux and other regions, the philosophy of many vignerons is that truly great wines begin with perfect fruit. Many great wine producers often start out as growers, as such is the case with the well-respected Napa phenomenon, Pym Rae.  Château Le Bon Pasteur is no exception, as initially this property was simply dedicated to grape growing. The choicest, most luscious plantings of Merlot and Cabernet Franc would then get chosen by surrounding négociants.  Eventually Château Le Bon Pasteur was acquired by the Rolland family in 1978 and they began making wine at the estate.  Château Le Bon Pasteur was then handed on to the two sons of the Rolland family - Danny and Michel Rolland.  What makes Château Le Bon Pasteur so significant is that it was the first estate Michel Rolland began implementing his techniques as a vigneron. 
 
Michel and Danny Rolland were the first wine consultants in Bordeaux to advise winemakers with techniques that were considered by many vignerons to be a bit unusual back in the day but are now commonplace.  They promoted green harvesting, effeuillage – a practice where one removes the lower leaves on the vines to let the sun hit the grapes more, and harvesting grapes based on their phenolic ripeness. During overly rainy seasons, the Rolland brothers would place plastic sheets on the vines to protect them from absorbing excessive moisture.  As their consulting business grew, they would share their knowledge with their clients, leading to some of the most renowned wines in the world – including: Château Angélus, Château Pontet-Canet, Château Lascombes, and Château Ausone to name a few.  Château Le Bon Pasteur is currently owned by the Goldin Group which is headed by Sutong Pan.
 
The vines at Château Le Bon Pasteur are scattered throughout Pomerol, with a portion of parcels in neighboring Saint-Émilion.  Harvesting is done on a plot-by-plot basis on the patchwork terroirs of different soil types.  Some of the finest plots are on the Caillou plot, which has the same blue clay as the legendary producer Pétrus.  Fermentation here takes place with truly indigenous yeasts, and for 25 to 30 days, the barrel is not moved at all.  The wines of Château Le Bon Pasteur require a bit of time before they are enjoyed, and one should wait about 6-8 years before discovering this wine.  At their peak, they are the perfect blend of softness and strength. 

"Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Bon Pasteur has an expressive nose of crushed red and black currants, black cherries and spice cake with hints of rose petals, dusty soil and tapenade. The medium to full-bodied palate is wonderfully ripe with plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and layered." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate, (2/21/2018), Rating: 95, Drink 2020-2042

"The 2015 Bon Pasteur was unusually tight on the nose when I tasted it, coaxing out black cherries and raspberry fruit laced with sous-bois with time. I appreciate the delineation and focus here. The palate is medium-bodied with a touch of dark chocolate on the entry. It has grainy tannin, moderate depth, just a little abruptness towards the finish, although the acidity is nicely tuned. It just feels a little linear and constrained at the moment, but it should spread its wings after bottling." - Neal Martin, , The Wine Advocate, (4/27/2016, Issue 224), Rating: (90-92), Drink: 2020-2040

"A smoking good release from oenologist Michel and Dany Rolland is the 2015 Le Bon Pasteur, which is up there with the 2009 and 2010 in terms of quality. Revealing a medium ruby/purple color and a terrific bouquet of red and black fruits, flowers, spicy oak, and mocha, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, fine, fine tannin (which is a hallmark of this vintage), terrific purity of fruit, and a great finish. It’s already approachable yet should be at its best from 2020-2035. Tasted once." Jeb Dunnuck, Let The Good Times Roll: 2015 Bordeaux from Bottle (11/30/2017) Rating: 94