The Modern Day Classics: The Old School Bordeaux of Clos du Jaugueyron

11/3/17 -

While we love Bordeaux (at least the old school stuff), we often find the modern wines to be too manipulated for our tastes. Too often the wines range from uninspiring to over-priced and over-oaked, a far cry from the classic Claret on which we cut our teeth. This is a shame, as there are few wines that combine deliciousness and elegance with the longevity and aplomb of Bordeaux. Fortunately, there are a few Chateaux who produce honestly-made wines that remind us why we fell in love with the region. One of our favorite growers is Michel Théron from Clos Jaugueyron.

A transplant to Bordeaux from Languedoc, Michel Théron studied viticulture with the intention of returning home, but married a Bordelaise woman and decided to remain in the Gironde. In 1993 the couple purchased a small parcel of vines in Cantenac with vines subsequently added in Arsac and Margaux, eventually covering 7 hectares. Farming is admirably non-interventionist, as Théron has never used synthetic treatments in the vines and obtained Demeter certification in 2008. The resulting healthy, living soils produce ripe vivid fruit, and ultimately delicious, luminous wines of terroir.

As in the vines, work in the cellar is decidedly old school. The grapes are fermented whole-cluster in tank with native yeasts, with the wine then aging in barrique with a minimum of new wood. Long lees contact and minimal racking help to lend structure and texture without relying on heavy extraction, manipulation, or new oak. The resulting wines have a detailed sense of minerality, elegant aromas, and fine-grained, velvety tannins with a fine balance between ripe fruit and savory earthiness. These are honest clarets of purity and terroir rather than opulence or ego and are a pleasure to drink.

- John McIlwain