Clos du Jaugueyron: Michel, Stéphanie, & the Médoc

Michel Théron and Stéphanie Destruhaut, the couple behind the Bordeaux estate that is often referred to simply as Jaugueyron, have long provided some of our favorite Left Bank, Cab-heavy reds. The Chambers crew was giddy when our latest allocation came through the door earlier this January.  As expected, the wines are brilliant. Welcome to the Médoc, through the lens of Jaugueyron - wines defined by youthful accessibility, along with healthy structure and fruit that foreshadows obvious, long-term development.

I opened the 2016 Haut Médoc at the store, and after everyone took their first sips, the whole team had wide eyes and big grins. The nose was earthy, with tilled soil, chopped herb stems and peeled, woodsy bark. Aromas of fresh and dried red and black berries wafted from the glass. On the palate, plump, dark, and minty fruits gave the wine a supple, filling mouthfeel, though balanced out by the wine's brisk stoniness and leveled acidity. It would be a mistake to think of this as an "entry-level" wine.

One of the most exciting bottles that we secured this year was the 2014 'Perrain' Margaux. Named after the plot of vines from which the grapes come, this bottle is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc. No Merlot, and I think that is apparent in the wine's profile. The wine had a beautiful nose, with violets, small plums, and dark tea leaves. Shocks of graphite, tart red cherries, and fresh green herbs showed on the palate. Though the wine wasn't juicy, it didn't have to be. After 4 hours in a decanter, the woven tannins created a blanketing mouthfeel, upon which lively, gravelly flavors rolled - along with lapping nuances of plum, cherry leaves, and pepper. Not only no Merlot in this Margaux, but no oak is used either. Instead, fermentation and aging takes place in concrete.

Also new this year is the estate's namesake 2016 'Clos du Jaugueyron' Margaux, which the importer describes as "elegant and open," with "bold tannins and assertive acidity."Although he does call the wine "a baby," in regard to its stage of development, the 'Clos du Jaugueyron' Margaux vintages I've had in the past all have something so coolly delicious about them in their youth. It is absolutely true, however, that these wines are built to last and tucking away a few bottles from your order is a must. We're also lucky enough to have received two vintages of the 'Nout' Margaux, both 2014 and 2015. Though the 2015 is grander in structure, both show essences of citrus, bright red fruits, spicy pepper, and crushed, dark stones.

Michel comes from a winegrowing family, but one rather far from the Médoc and the banks of the Gironde. His parents farmed grapes in the Minervois AOC, close to the Mediterranean coast in Southern France's region of Languedoc Rousillon. With the plan of returning home to take over the estate in Minervois, he headed to Bordeaux to study winemaking in 1988. There he met Stéphanie, his future wife, and the two bought a piece of land in Cantenac, producing their first wine from that parcel in 1994.

Michel fell in love with the area and realized its bounty of natural beauty and power. He did not return home to Minvervois. He was in love with a Bordelais woman and, together, they were in love with their home and their land, in the Médoc. Since the beginning, they have treated their small holdings of field and vine with respect and care. They have never used synthetic treatments in the vineyards.

The estate is now roughly 7 hectares, with property inside the communes of Arsac, Cantenac and Margaux. All are farmed with organic and biodynamic practices. A combination of soils, parcels grown on loose sand and gravel, in addition to parcels on sites with more clay, allow for flashy, dark mineral tones and tender red and black fruits. From their Haut Médoc bottling to the flagship Margaux, vintage after vintage, Michel and Stéphanie's wines display a purity, a freshness, that many other producers from the area do not seem interested in achieving with their own. Don't get me wrong, the wines are hearty, but they're also brimming with life. Oak (when used) doesn't mask the natural flavors and structure that the soil and other environmental factors contribute - it accentuates them. New wood is used, with precision, in combination with old barrels, and sometimes there is no wood at all like with the 'Perrain' 2014. Fermentation is done naturally and little sulfur is used during the process.

The items below are limited in quantity, and in many ways that's a good thing. Proof that production is honest and thoughtful, made by people who will only reap what they have sowed ethically and with care. We are always proud to send out our Jaugueyron offers, and we're always excited when the doors open and more of Michel and Stéphanie's wines arrive at 148 Chambers Street, even if we'd wish it happened more often. As I've said repeatedly in this email, these wines are for today,but also for tomorrow. When you taste them you'll get an idea of their vitality, and you'll make your own decisions on how long to put them down... but my guess is they'll disappear from your cellar quicker than you think. David Hatzopoulos