2010 Château La Tour du Pin

Chateau La Tour du Pin was once part of Chateau Figeac, but in the late 19th century Chateau Figeac was divided up and La Tour du Pin became a stand-alone estate. Parcels of vineyards were sold off over the years, and in 1947 the estate was purchased by the Mouiex family. In 2006 it was purchased by Bernard Arnault and Albert Frere, owners of legendary Cheval Blanc. The same technical team that now makes the wine at Cheval Blanc makes the wines at La Tour du Pin. Today the estate has 25 acres of vineyards planted to 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that the estate makes wine in “a straightforward, fleshy, fruity style, with good body and aging potential.” He has awarded some 21st century vintages scores in the low to mid 90s.

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.