Chateau Vieux Taillefer 'Pavillon de Taillefer' Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2019
(Bordeaux, France)

The meticulous hand-made wines of Catherine Cohen are truly unlike any other in Bordeaux, yet have flown under the radar for the past two decades.

In 1995, Catherine Cohen underwent training at Chateau Petrus, making wine under the wing of legendary winemaker Jean-Claude Berrouet, who masterfully produced 44 vintages of Petrus in total.

Recognizing her exceptional skills, Berrouet appointed Catherine as the winemaker at the renowned La Fleur Petrus, where she crafted magnificent vintages until 2001.

In 2006, on Berrouet's personal recommendation, Catherine and her husband Phillippe acquired a tiny 4.8-hectare estate. Most of its vines were planted in the 1950s, along with an impressive single vineyard averaging 90 years of age.

Winemaking:

The couple has approached the Château with a more Burgundian-esque sensibility. They make two different red wines that are defined by soil, rather than the old hierarchical system normally employed in Bordeaux, consisting of a “First” and “Second” wine. All fruit is hand-harvested and undergoes a careful sorting before it is vinified in concrete tanks.

The work here is 100% organic, thus there are no chemicals used in the vineyards or the winery. Yields are very low, and instead sulfuring, the Cohens use a grape seed derivative to stabilize the wines, a technique learned from Guillaume Selosse when he staged in their cellars.

Perhaps even more impressive, the Cohens ferment their red wines in individual 225L barriques — a costly and arduous process.

• Production: 2,000 cases
• Alcohol: 14.5%
• 100% Merlot

Artisan Tasting Notes:

Priced under $60 (yet worth $120) this wine left all of us in awe. I can't remember the last time I smelled such a captivating bouquet—one that transports you to a field enveloped in violets and lavender. Delicate aromas of cassis, crushed blackberries, menthol, mossy tree bark, crushed rocks, and anise seem to waft endlessly from the glass.

Created from half-century-old vines, the wines burst across your palate with layers of raspberry puree and creamed plum flavors infused with rooibos tea and alder accents. The purity of each flavor is simply astonishing. There's a Pomerol-like silkiness, yet has a firm core of calcareous minerality that is quintessentially Saint-Emilion.

The finish is invigorating, dotted with tantalizing minerality, and lasts for over a minute.

This Estate is an undeniable force, yet remains undiscovered and underappreciated. This is one journey you don’t want to miss.