Château Les Cruzelles 2019

• Domaine: Château Les Cruzelles
• Appellation: Lalande-de-Pomerol
• Classification: Lalande-de-Pomerol
• Assemblage/Grape Varietals: Merlot 80%, Cabernet Franc 20%
• Origin: Right Bank, Bordeaux, France
• Importer: Laguna Cellar

This is the last vintage produced by the legendary winemaker of Pomerol, Denis Durantou of Château L’Eglise Clinet, who unfortunately passed away in May 2020.

Denis Durantou was a colorful figure from the tiny village of Pomerol. For years, he refused to travel to meet customers or hold international tastings to promote his wine, famously saying "a chef should stay in the kitchen." His more famous wine, Château L’Eglise Clinet, is considered one of the top Pomerol stars.  It eventually led fans and wine buyers to his door. His remarks on Les Cruzelles in Lalande-de-Pomerol is very revealing: "if we were in Burgundy it would be called a monopole, as I have the entirety of the 0.5ha plot". Half a hectare (barely an acre) is a tiny plot!

Denis Durantou's Last Vintage Notes

"There was water when it was needed from July to September, a rapid flowering, cool nights, colour change which varied according to the grape varieties but which was homogeneous overall, and a harvest in fine dry conditions. Everything is great in 2019!

2019 Château Les Cruzelles is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc from gravelly-clay soil. The Merlot was picked from the 18th to the 25th of September and the Cabernet Franc was picked on the 28th of September. 14.50% ALC. New oak: 40%."

Tasting Notes

"This wine is produced by Denis Darantou and family of Château L’Eglise-Clinet. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Les Cruzelles (a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc) opens with powerful black fruit scents of ripe blackberries, black cherries and mulberries with underlying floral notions of lilacs and wilted roses and hints of dark chocolate, fertile loam and mossy tree bark. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock-full of expressive, crunchy black fruits, framed by chunky tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with a peppery kick." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (6/14/2020, Bordeaux 2019 Issue), Rating: 90-92