2009 Château Prieure-Lichine

Château Prieure-Lichine is in the Margaux appellation of Bordeaux, France, in the commune of Cantenac. It is classified as a Fourth Growth Bordeaux in the official Bordeaux classification of 1855. Originally a Benedictine Priory, the estate was taken over by the state after the French Revolution and sold off in parcels. In 1951 the famous author and wine expert Alexis Lichine bought the estate and acquired nearby vineyards. Until his death in 1989, Lichine made major improvements to the estate, which grew to 185 acres. In 1990 the estate was sold to the Ballande Group, a New Zealand business conglomerate. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that under the Ballande Group “Prieure-Lichine is now one of the more exciting up-and-coming properties of the Margaux appellation.”

Margaux is one of Bordeaux’s most famous appellations and also one of its largest, with about 3,400 acres of vineyards. Located on the Left Bank of the Gironde River, Margaux has the greatest number of classified-growth châteaux (or crus classé) according to the 1855 classification. There are twenty-one crus classé, including the most famous estate, the first growth Château Margaux. The Margaux appellation includes vineyards around the village of Margaux and the villages of Arsac, Cantenac, d’Issan, Labarde and Soussans. Wines from the best Margaux châteaux and vintages are prized for their perfumey fragrance and elegant, silky mouthfeel. Margaux wines are predominately Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.