1998 Château La Commanderie

Château La Commanderie is an historic estate burnished by a 21st century update. Parts of the 10-acre estate date to the 13th century, when its vineyards provided wines for monks and knights. But its contemporary story started in 2004, when Magali and Thibaut Decoster, a young couple with business backgrounds and a passion for wine, were able to purchase Château La Commanderie and Clos des Jacobins, also in St. Emilion. They replanted vineyards and renovated the estate, and in 2017 the Decosters also acquired the nearby estates of Château de Candale and Château Roc de Candale. In 2012 Château La Commanderie was promoted to St. Emilion Grand Cru Classé status. The consulting oenologist is Hubert de Bouard de Laforest.

Saint-Émilion is on the east side of the Dordogne River. At 13,400 acres it is one of Bordeaux’s largest appellations, and perhaps its most picturesque. It is also home to what has been called “the garagiste” movement of upstart, tradition-defying winemakers who produce artisanal wines in styles that are unconventional for the appellation. The village of Saint-Émilion dates from the middle ages and it sits on low hills, surrounded by ancient walls. Like its neighbor Pomerol, Saint-Émilion was not included in the famous Bordeaux classification system of 1855. But a century later a ranking system was put in place, and unlike the classification system for the Medoc, the Saint-Émilion system is reviewed every ten years, meaning that estates can be upgraded or downgraded. There are three rankings: Grand Cru Classé, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and Premier Grand Cru Classé A, with the final ranking being the best. Such legendary Saint-Émilion estates as Châteaux Ausone and Cheval-Blanc are Premier Grand Cru Classé A, along with Châteaux Pavie and Angélus, both added to the classification in 2012. Wines in this appellation are primarily Merlot, mixed with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.