A recent arrival from Bordeaux, we tasted this along with multiple much higher-priced bottles, and this was one of the standouts. This is quickly becoming the best-buy Bordeaux of the year, and Château Larrivaux, established in 1580, has been owned and managed exclusively by women of the same family for over four centuries. Originally envisioned as a grand estate with a château, stables, and extensive outbuildings, financial struggles left only the stables, staff quarters, and two large outbuildings—one of which remains the family home. Today, the property spans 75 hectares, including 19 hectares of vineyards planted primarily to Merlot, along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Committed to sustainability, Larrivaux has maintained its natural ecosystem for decades, preserving trees and hedgerows, introducing beehives, and monitoring bat populations in on-site quarries. Vineyard management includes inter-row grassing, soil tillage, and minimal chemical inputs, eliminating insecticides and anti-rot treatments while favoring biocontrol methods. The estate also reduces its environmental footprint by using lighter glass bottles. All these things are great, but if they dont make the wine better, then it's just a good story. Thankfully, this is outstanding, and the supplier we are getting this from has been cellaring this and monitoring it to release at the appropriate time, meaning you get a ready-to-drink example right now at an exceptional price. This shows a lovely purity of red fruits like cranberry and cassis, with a few black fruits in the background. Lovely aromas of violets meld with a touch of tapenade, animal fur, and a healthy dose of iron minerality. The terroir is unmistakable for Bordeaux and shows an excellent sense of place while being very fresh and focused. Lovely richness and ripeness of fruit on the palate, with that focus carrying over with some good mid-palate weight. There is a touch of dusty tannins here with a good lift from the acidity, finishing with a red fruit-mineral-tinged finish. This is a very impressive bottle at this price point, and it drinks like it's three times the price. If you liked the Chateau de Sales, this is certainly one you need to try, or if you want a great Bordeaux that is ready to drink at a small asking price, this is it.
2015 Château Larrivaux
2015 Château Larrivaux
A recent arrival from Bordeaux, we tasted this along with multiple much higher-priced bottles, and this was one of the standouts. This is quickly becoming the best-buy Bordeaux of the year, and Château Larrivaux, established in 1580, has been owned and managed exclusively by women of the same family for over four centuries. Originally envisioned as a grand estate with a château, stables, and extensive outbuildings, financial struggles left only the stables, staff quarters, and two large outbuildings—one of which remains the family home. Today, the property spans 75 hectares, including 19 hectares of vineyards planted primarily to Merlot, along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Committed to sustainability, Larrivaux has maintained its natural ecosystem for decades, preserving trees and hedgerows, introducing beehives, and monitoring bat populations in on-site quarries. Vineyard management includes inter-row grassing, soil tillage, and minimal chemical inputs, eliminating insecticides and anti-rot treatments while favoring biocontrol methods. The estate also reduces its environmental footprint by using lighter glass bottles. All these things are great, but if they dont make the wine better, then it's just a good story. Thankfully, this is outstanding, and the supplier we are getting this from has been cellaring this and monitoring it to release at the appropriate time, meaning you get a ready-to-drink example right now at an exceptional price. This shows a lovely purity of red fruits like cranberry and cassis, with a few black fruits in the background. Lovely aromas of violets meld with a touch of tapenade, animal fur, and a healthy dose of iron minerality. The terroir is unmistakable for Bordeaux and shows an excellent sense of place while being very fresh and focused. Lovely richness and ripeness of fruit on the palate, with that focus carrying over with some good mid-palate weight. There is a touch of dusty tannins here with a good lift from the acidity, finishing with a red fruit-mineral-tinged finish. This is a very impressive bottle at this price point, and it drinks like it's three times the price. If you liked the Chateau de Sales, this is certainly one you need to try, or if you want a great Bordeaux that is ready to drink at a small asking price, this is it.
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