Château le Puy Emilien - Library Offer!
9/20/2024
The wines of Château Le Puy in Bordeaux need no introduction for many, but should be on the radar for anyone seeking something unforgettable in their wine experience. Often referred to as the Burgundy of Bordeaux, their flagship bottling, the Emilien, is the most elegant and finessed wine from Bordeaux that I have ever had. We typically are only able to offer the current vintage of the Emilien from Château Le Puy, but today we have an opportunity (thanks to our friends at Rosenthal Wine Merchants) to pre-offer library wines that will be coming directly from the estate. Though I usually prefer to write a newsletter about a new producer you've never heard of, offering exceptional wines that are all under $30... today is not that day! With full understanding that these are not your "everyday drinker" prices, but with full acknowledgment that this is a truly exceptional bottle of wine, we humbly offer today the 2010, 2003, 2002, 1995, and 1992 vintages in 750ml, along with a special vertical 6-pack of 1.5L mags, and a few BIG bottles of 2019 (to put away for a young to-be wine drinker born in 2019 perhaps?). Here's a bit of back story and my own personal anecdote, though we also highly recommend a deep dive by way of the fantastic article penned by our friend Eric Asimov for the New York Times in 2017.
Once upon a time, Julien Guillot (from Vignes du Maynes) was showing me some of his favorite wines as we cruised around an organic trade fair in France. When we reached the folks from Chateau Le Puy, he got emotional. "Here," he said, "is the original natural wine from Bordeaux." He wasn't kidding - Le Puy has been working without chemicals since the domaine was born in the 1600s! They have always made wines with minimal additives, natural yeast fermentation and old school vinification. Certified organic and Biodynamic, this estate is located on the same plateau as Saint Emilion and Pomerol with soils that are a mix of red clay, silt, and limestone, and vines averaging 60-85 years-old. For their flagship wine, the Emilien, fermentation happens in concrete over 2 weeks. The nose of these wines is woodsy, with tree bark and wild herbs, forest plums and cherries. The palate is tense with dark minerals under a richer layer of black and red fruits, black pepper and earth. The structure is well-placed, with medium tannins and medium acidity. Grape breakdown is 85% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec and 1% Carmenere. Emilien is obtained by a 2-year decantation in foudres and used barrels. -Eben Lillie
