Elian Da Ros 2018 Côtes du Marmandais Clos Baquey

Clos Baquey is the grande cuvée of the domain. On a 5 ha plot of clay and limestone on sedimentary conglomerates (called “molasse” in French) facing south, Elian isolates the best part, 2 ha with the best vines of Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, Merlot and Abouriou, the latter bringing an originality of red and licorice berries with a more traditional Bordeaux blend from the other three varieties. Everything is de-stemmed except the Abouriou (macerated whole cluster but not using carbonic). The limestone enhancing the acidity and the acidity enhancing the tannin, Elian imposes on this cuvée a precise and meticulous aging where the components are blended only at the end of 22 months minimum in barrels. The final blend is then aged for a year in a concrete tank then a year in bottle before being released. It’s a big investment for a domain of this size and in a little-known appellation - neither the Burgundians nor the Bordelais usually go through such length! This gives a superb wine which just starts to open after a few years. The attack is silky, the ripe berries respond to oriental herbs, the aging process can hardly be guessed. We can only note how dense the juice is without any heaviness, a tangy and crystalline finish delineating expressive and sleek tannins. This cuvée reveals the potential of Marmandais as an alternative to Bordeaux, and is made also for aging. If you want to drink it today, decant for two hours and serve in a large glass. Superb with roast duck and truffled juice. 35% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, 15% Abouriou, 15% Cabernet sauvignon.