Château Pouget 2010

Château Pouget is a Fourth Growth property in Margaux.  It is one of the more obscure Classified Growths in the Médoc – but a lot of this is because of their small size, making them less visible in the international marketplace.  The estate is currently run by the Guillemet family who runs the more well-known property, Château Boyd Cantenac.  Yet despite its relatively diminutive size, the grand vin of Château Pouget is a great example of Margaux terroir and a good value Bordeaux blend.  Château Pouget was created in 1748 when Françoise Antoine Pouget inherited the vineyards.  As was tradition of the time, the property was named after him.  Château Pouget was a favorite among the Nobility in France. The Duke of Richelieu was especially fond of the estate. It was the Duke who awarded Château Pouget its signature Coat of Arms, which is still on the bottle today.
 
The Duke often sung his praises of the property, “L’amour sur ton couer étendra sa puissance. Ton verbe sera clair comme le chant du Coq. A l’égal du Lion tu ne craindras le choc. Si de cestuv nectar tut e remplis la panse.” This phrase loosely translates to: “Love will overwhelm your heart, your word will be as clear as the rooster’s like the lion you won’t fear the stroke, if with this beverage you fill up your heart.” Clearly, the Duke was passionate about the property – despite his interesting analogies and rhyme schemes.
 
In 1771, the daughter of François Antoine Pouget married a member of the Chevailles family and the estate stayed within the family lineage for 150 years.  Château Pouget did experience some hardships during the dark and turbulent time of the French Revolution.  A portion of the estate was annexed to Château Kirwan during that time.  Yet despite the loss the property was dealt, the Chevailles family continued to persevere.  Their discipline was rewarded when Château Pouget was classified as a Fourth Growth during Napoleon’s 1855 Classification: a high honor indeed.
 
The terroir of Château Pouget is very typical of the Margaux appellation.  Finely graveled soils lead to a beautiful freshness for the plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc.  At Château Pouget the viticultural team practices organic farming.  Here, the vines are approximately 50 years old on average, and they are all pruned by hand.  The team at Château Pouget waits until the vines have the optimum level of phenolic ripeness before harvesting them for their grand vin.  The vinification takes place in temperature controlled stainless steel vats, and malolactic fermentation does occur in vat.  Interestingly enough, Château Pouget uses quite a bit of French Oak to age their wines, this adds a lot of chocolatey, toasty flavors and a certain robust quality to their grand vin and second wine. 
 
Château Pouget is one of the very few Margaux estates without a true château.  The wine is made in a cellar that is a part of an old, converted house.  The grand vin of this property can be consumed relatively young – though the wines do express themselves at their best after a few years of bottle aging.