Château Saint-Pierre - Grand Cru Classé 2008

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

Lots of woody finesse, refined texture, very precise mouthfeel, very noble and expected cedar finish, archetypal of a fine Saint-Julien.

About the domain :

This cru, owned by the Triaud family, has joined the best of Saint-Julien in recent vintages, sometimes even surpassing them in quality, thanks to its very old vines averaging 50 years, ideally located in the heart of the village. The wine, which has always been dense, tight and powerful, continues to gain in immediate elegance with each vintage, with a better-integrated woodiness, and always a texture of old vines that makes it equal in this respect to the great Second Classifieds, and even to the First Classifieds. This is one of the most perfect expressions of the appellation's originality, at prices that are still accessible.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

At Saint-Pierre, Cabernet Sauvignon was the big winner in 2008. Quite logically, they accounted for the lion's share (83%) of the blend. The result is a wine with a deep, vivid garnet-red color, adorned with black reflections, heralding a fine constitution. The bouquet reveals its great complexity, with elegant notes of vanilla, toast and black fruit. Full-bodied, fat and perfectly balanced, the palate is already velvety and pleasing. Its richness, power and noble, tightly-packed tannins ensure that it will age serenely for the next ten years. For a dish with character, a venison jig or partridge with porcini mushrooms.

About the domain :

This ancient cru (17th c.) has seen some dark times, having been totally dispersed following several estates. Henri Martin reconstituted it in 1982. The vineyard covers 17 ha, planted on a fine gravelly terroir resting on a sandy-clay layer. Henri Martin's daughter Françoise and her husband Jean-Louis Triaud, who ran the estate, handed over to their son Jean in 2016.

Guide des Vins Gault & Millau

About the wine:

What elegance! Black fruits mingle with spices and fine, discreet tannins, before a mineral, floral finish. A real class act.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

As I predicted from the barrel, this superb wine is best bought by the case. Its opaque ruby/purple color is followed by aromas of graphite, barbecue smoke, blackberry and blackcurrant. Full-bodied, Saint-Pierre 2008 reveals a high-flying palate, with plenty of viscosity and unctuosity. One of the richest 2008s with great longevity potential, it's a sure bet for the vintage. Drink it over the next 20+ years.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

The 2008, dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (83%) of magnificent ripeness, is highly colored, with a distinguished expression blending toasty and spicy notes.

About the domain :

For a long time, this classified growth was the least known of Saint-Julien's vineyards. It was bought in 1982 by Henri Martin, owner of the famous Cru Bourgeois Château Gloria, who reconstituted the terroir as it existed at the time of classification. His daughter Françoise, her husband and Jean-Louis Triaud, former president of the Girondins de Bordeaux, now assisted by their children, have, with the help of Rémi di Constanzo, the cellar master, transformed the estate in recent years. Equipped with high-performance winemaking facilities, vintage after vintage it seems to be gaining the purity it sometimes lacks.

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

With its 17 hectares, Saint-Pierre is a small estate for the Médoc. As fine as the 2008, it has plenty of style. It's loaded with fruit, firm tannins and salivating acidity.