2009 Château La Fleur Morange Mathilde

Château La Fleur Morange is a Grand Cru estate in Ferrachat, in St.-Emilion. The four acre estate is a “garagiste” enterprise owned by Veronique and Jean-Francois Julien. Vineyards are planted to 70% Merlot, with 15% each Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Some vines from the historic vineyard are more than 100 years old. Jean-Francois was a cabinet maker before marrying into a winemaking family. Robert M. Parker Jr. has called La Fleur Morange “sensational.” About 5,000 bottles are produced annually. The estate makes two other wines. Avalone is 100% Merlot and Mathilde is a second wine named for the couple’s daughter.

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.