2022 Sarreau-Martin, Tradition Red Bordeaux, Castillon, Côtes de Bordeaux, France.
The beautifully pure, dark fruited and easy to love cuvée Tradition from Château Sarreau-Martin was made from 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc and shows off classic Right Bank character. This deep garnet wine gives you blackberry, plum, currant and cherry fruit on the medium bodied palate, along with hints of dark florals, black olive, anise, cedar and brambly spice. Over the course of an evening and the next day this value price Bordeaux held steady and was delightfully rewarding, at under $20, it over delivered in terms of pleasure and quality for the price. The grapes coming from 35 year plus old vines in the mostly clay based soils of the Castillon were fermented with temperature control in tank, with twice-daily pump-overs, a maceration that lasted for 3 weeks before aging in the cellar for 16-24 months in mainly used oak. While not overly complex, the pretty Sarreau-Martin Tradition, with its lingering creme de cassis notes, is well worth looking for as a no pretense example of Bordeaux, which I would easily recommend.
The Château Sarreau-Martin, located just under five miles from the the UNESCO heritage site and the famous wine Right Blank commune of Saint Emilion, and in Saint Philippe d’Aiguilhe, was built in the 1880s, with the original Château being typical of the Gironde region. This property which once served as a refuge during World War II, was recently purchased by Eric Stauffenegger, who has began rejuvenating the estate, but wanted to continue its traditions with an experienced hand, so he kept the winemaker and vineyard manager Denis Lubiato, who’s father had been here for almost half a century. The vineyards on this side of Gironde River are typically clay with limestone and some gravelly areas, making it prime for Merlot, which really loves these conditions, as seen in both, the legendary Pomerol and Saint-Emilion wines, but some Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon also adds some extra dimension here. I was nicely surprised by this Sarreau-Martin Tradition Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux 2022, which was much more rewarding than many wines in this price point, it certainly would be an excellent bistro by the glass pour and a great way for novices to start exploring Bordeaux wines.
($19 Est.) 90 Points, grapelive