1986 Château L'Arrosee, 12-bottle Lot, Wood Case

Château L’Arrosee is a Grand Cru Classe in St.-Emilion, on Bordeaux’s right bank. The 23-acre estate was producing award-winning wine in the 19th century, and its several owners in the 20th and 21st centuries have made improvements to the buildings and vineyards. It is now owned by the Caille family. Vineyards are planted to 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. About 30,000 bottles are produced annually. Robert M. Parker Jr. has called L’Arrosee “unique. Fleshy, yet firm and powerful, fragrant, as well as rich and full, it is a wine with plenty of character…”

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.