Château Rochebelle 2020

$44.00
Pre-Arrival   Usually arrives from France in 1-6 months
SKU
8538-2020
Pre-Arrival Pre-Arrival - See Footnote
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• Domaine: Château Rochebelle
• Appellation: Saint-Emilion
• Classification: Grand Cru Classé
• Origin: Right Bank, Bordeaux, France

A mere stone’s throw away from prestigious properties like Château Troplong Mondot and Tertre Roteboeuf rests the Saint-Émilion sleeper hit of a property, Château Rochebelle.  In addition to producing extraordinary wines, this fascinating property has a series of stunning underground limestone caves and quarries that are well worth the visit.  The geographical features of this property are so unique to the estate that the name, Château Rochebelle translates to, “beautiful stones,” which refer to the rocks pulled from the underground quarries in the 1700s at this estate. This Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé estate produces a versatile wine with plenty of soul that can be enjoyed in its youth and cellared for years to come. 
 
The property has been owned and managed by the Faniest family since 1847.  The estate was built the same year Thomas Edison was born. The Faniest family draws many parallels between the lifespan of this estate to this famous inventor.  In their minds, Château Rochebelle radiates its own unique light, crafting luminous wines that captivate throughout the ages. The initial rows of vines belonged to Martial Musquin, who worked as a quarryman.  After he passed on, the property was inherited by his granddaughter, Marie Marty.  Marie was a widow who singlehandedly cultivated the vineyard and built the brand for Château Rochebelle.  The most recent generations of the Faniest family are very committed to elevating the quality of the estate and keeping its 170 year legacy alive.  In 2012, Château Rochebelle was given the honor of receiving the Grand Cru Classés status in Saint-Émilion, further cementing the excellence of this estate’s sterling reputation.
 
Château Rochebelle is a small 3-hectare property that is planted with 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. There are some old vines on the grounds, coming in at about 45 years on average.  Château Rochebelle has extraordinary terroir that sits on a plateau of clay and limestone.  Elevation is a bit higher here, coming in at 85-94 meters above river level on a gently sloping hill that allows water to trickle down and get absorbed in the heavily porous limestone rocks.  In dry weather, the vines can draw water from the limestone rocks, so they remain healthy and never deprived of nutrients.  This special terroir is perfect for water drainage and ensures that the vines are naturally irrigated.
 
The vines are harvested and then vinified in traditional, temperature controlled square concrete vats and then aged in French oak barrels for between 15 to 18 months. The talented Michel Rolland consults at Château Rochebelle and helps the Faniest family make important decisions depending on the vintage.  The grand vin of Château Rochebelle shows its best after 3-4 years of bottle age, but that depends on the character of the vintage.  It is generally recommended that one enjoy this elegant and luminous wine between the first 3 to 12 years of its life in bottle.  Château Rochebelle produces a wine that is tremendously versatile, with aromas of black truffle, fallen leaves, and a subtle freshness. 

Tasting Notes

 "Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2020 Rochebelle is a little youthfully coy to begin, with subtle kirsch and black raspberry scents giving way to a core of baked black plums and boysenberries with wafts of fallen leaves, red roses and black truffles. The medium to full-bodied palate (14.5% alcohol) delivers bright, crunchy black and red berry flavors, framed by finely grained tannins and a racy backbone, finishing long and perfumed. Very pretty wine!" - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate (5/20/2021), Rating: 90-92, Drink: 2024-2036

"The 2020 Château Rochebelle should be another outstanding wine from this estate, which has just recently brought on the talented Thomas Duclos as a consultant. One of those fresh, vibrant, yet also beautifully concentrated 2020s, it has a great nose of mulberries, black cherries, tobacco, sous bois, and damp earth. These all carry to a medium to full-bodied, pure, precise, lengthy Saint-Emilion with plenty of tannins as well as flawless integration in its fruit and acidity. This is an up-and-coming estate readers should put on their radar!" Jeb Dunnuck, Bordeaux 2020 En Primeur: Part 1, (05/23/2021) Rating: 93-95+

"Full of the sappy delicious understated juice that is so classic of this property. A recent vertical made me realise just how much understated value there is to be had here, and I strongly recommend it. The berry fruits are unfussy and juicy, delivering a ton of wet stone scraping minerality. A yield of 41hl/ha." Jane Anson, Decanter, Bordeaux En Primeur Week (04/30/2021) Rating: 93

 

More Information
Stock Status Pre-Arrival
Appellation Saint-Emilion
Vintage 2020
Brand Château Rochebelle
Shipping Weight 3.000000

Saint-Émilion is one of the most prestigious wine appellations in the Bordeaux region of France, renowned for its exceptional red wines and rich viticultural history. Located on the Right Bank of the Dordogne River, Saint-Émilion is a place of great beauty and a UNESCO World Heritage site, thanks to its remarkable blend of natural and cultural attributes. The Saint-Émilion appellation is characterized by a diverse terroir featuring a mix of limestone, clay, and sandy soils that provide the foundation for its distinctive wines. The unique microclimates and elevations within the appellation contribute to the variety of flavors and styles found in Saint-Émilion wines.

The primary grape varieties used in Saint-Émilion wines are Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot often dominating the blends. These grapes thrive in the region's favorable climate, moderated by the proximity of the Dordogne River and the buffering effects of the limestone plateau.

Saint-Émilion is famous for its unique wine classification system, which divides the vineyards into four tiers: Premier Grand Cru Classé A, Premier Grand Cru Classé B, Grand Cru Classé, and Grand Cru. This classification reflects the quality and prestige of the individual vineyards and châteaux within the appellation, with only a select few achieving the highest ranking of Premier Grand Cru Classé A. Until the re-classification in 2022, Château Cheval Blanc, Château Ausone, Château Angelus, and Château Pavie were the only four members of the Premier Grand Cru Classé A tier. Out of disagreement with the standard-setting governing body, Cheval Blanc and Ausone voluntarily dropped out. Angelus followed suit shortly after. With Pavie remaining the only member, Premier Grand Cru Classé A saw the addition of Château Figeac following a long-expected and well-deserved promotion.

Saint-Émilion wines are known for their finesse, complex aromas, and beautiful balance of fruit, tannins, and acidity. While they share some similarities with wines from the neighboring Pomerol appellation, they often have a slightly more structured and tannic character due to the higher proportion of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon in the blends. With age, these wines develop a velvety texture and reveal an array of flavors, including dark fruits, floral notes, and hints of earthiness.

Footnotes on Futures, Pre-Arrivals, and potential US Tariffs: 

1. As of June 15, 2021, the US and the EU agreed to suspend tariffs resulting from the Boeing-Airbus aircraft trade disputes. Accordingly, such import taxes are now suspended for the next five years.

2. Futures are expected to be available for delivery two years after the sales (e.g., the 2022 vintage, sold in 2023, will be delivered in 2025 mostly, or 2026 if the producer ages the wine longer).

3. Pre-Arrivals are items currently stored in our Bordeaux cellar or in transit from France to the US. It usually takes 1-6 months for Pre-Arrivals to become available for delivery, depending on the stage of the import process.

4. Regarding futures and pre-arrivals, we cannot guarantee specific delivery dates, which factors beyond our control may impact. However, we will notify you once your wine arrives in our cellar.

5. While a buyer of Bordeaux wine futures locks in an allocation of the specified items, the final delivery of the purchased items from France to the US may be impacted by intervening and unforeseeable events. Despite our due diligence, additional costs or delays may be caused by such intervening and unforeseen events and "an irresistible, superhuman cause, or by the act of public enemies of the state of California or the United States."  In such circumstances, if a buyer does not accept unforeseeable costs or delays, the sole and exclusive remedy is a cancellation of the futures order concerned and a refund of the original purchase price. We are NOT liable for any lost profits on a canceled order.

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