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Château Saint-Pierre

If there is one man whose name we should associate with Château Saint-Pierre, as well as with nearby Château Gloria, it is Henri Martin. Gloria owes its very existence to Martin, although his true desire was to own and run a classed growth estate, and this he achieved with his purchase of Château Saint-Pierre at the sprightly age of 78. But like all classed growth properties, the history of Saint-Pierre stretches back much further than this.

The origins of the estate lie at least in the 17th century, perhaps much earlier than this, when documents refer to it as Serançon, and it was in the ownership of the De Cheverry family. It did not acquire the name Saint-Pierre until the latter years of the 18th century, when it was acquired by the Baron de Saint-Pierre. There was viticulture here at that time, and the wines are reputed to have been worthwhile although not up to the standard of the Léoville estate or other grander properties around St Julien. Upon the Baron's death in 1796 the estate was divided between his two daughters, Mme Dubouilh and Mme Bontemps-Dubarry, although it was still run as a single entity. The division was made final in 1832 when Mme Dubouilh died; thus her half was bequeathed to her daughters, whereas the other remained with the Bontemps-Dubarry family. Despite this, the estate was classified as a single entity in the 1855 classification which preceded the Exposition Universelle de Paris, when it was ranked as a quatrième cru. Subsequent to the classification, the Dubouilh portion was sold off, most purchased by the Bontemps-Dubarry family, specifically Lieutenant-Colonel Bontemps-Dubarry, and as a consequence the estate was renamed Saint-Pierre-Bontemps-Dubarry. There were, however, several small plots purchased by others, with one destined to become what is today Château du Glana, and another, amounting to about one quarter of the original vineyard, coming to Bontemps-Dubarry's daughter, who married Oscar de Leutken, owner of La Tour-Carnet.

Lieutenant-Colonel Bontemps-Dubarry, who owned the majority of the original estate, bequeathed his vineyards to his four children, although one daughter, the wife of local négociant Georges Kappelhoff (head of Journou Frères), bought out her siblings in order to keep the estate together. Meanwhile, that portion in the ownership of Oscar de Leutken was sold to Léon Sevaistre, a politician, who produced a wine of some repute, and did much work to maintain the vineyard in the face of Phylloxera. These two portions were finally reunited as one in 1923 when a Dutch firm Van den Bussche purchased the Sevaistre vineyard, having acquired a large part of the Bontemps-Dubarry vineyard the preceding year. The Bontemps-Dubarry family retained only the château and a few hectares of vines. The newly reunited estate took on the name Saint-Pierre-Sevaistre, and remained in the control of the Van de Bussche family and Paul Castelain, who was wedded to one of their daughters. But in 1982 they sold the vineyard to near neighbour Henri Martin, proprietor of Château Gloria, almost across the road. Martin sold off some buildings and a few small plots of vineyard, the purchaser in one case being Jean-Eugene Borie of Ducru-Beaucaillou, this being the beginning of Lalande-Borie. Some, adjacent to Gruaud-Larose, was bought by the Cordiers. Most, however, remained with Martin, who restored the château; this is now home to his daughter Françoise and husband Jean-Louis Triaud, who run the estate today. Under the tenure of Martin, and then of Françoise and Jean-Louis, the wines of this small and under-appreciated St Julien cru have demonstrated a tangible improvement.

The vineyards of Château Saint-Pierre lie just outside the town of Beychevelle, near the boundary of the St Julien appellation, surrounded by those of Beychevelle, Branaire-Ducru and Gruaud-Larose. There are plenty of old vines here which helps explain the deep colour, full body and creamy texture to be found in these wines. All told there are about 17 hectares, planted with 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, with a tiny quantity of Petit Verdot. The fruit is harvested by hand, and is taken to the chai at Gloria, where it is macerated in enamel vats for two to four weeks and then fermented in a mix of oak foudres and stainless steel with temperature control. It then goes into oak, 40 to 50% new each year. The wine is fined and filtered before bottling. The grand vin is Château St Pierre (about 5000 cases per annum), and what is rejected is sold in bulk to local merchants.

As I have already pointed out this is a small and often overlooked property, and is in fact the smallest in St Julien. This is despite many of the wines from the last two or three decades being of good quality. As a consequence, bottles of Saint-Pierre could frequently be found languishing on shelves and merchants' lists at very attractive prices, and they thus made for good value drinking. With the rise in popularity of Bordeaux as a whole, and the increasing demand for the wines including Saint-Pierre, this no longer seems to be the case. My experience of the wines includes numerous vintages from the time of Henri Martin and subsequently Jean-Louis Triaud. I admit they rarely provide the breathtaking excitement that can be found with some other properties of the commune, although I thought the 1995 very satisfying and one of the more interesting wines from Saint-Pierre in recent years. The 2000 may also have more promise than my conservative score may suggest, although it did not show the pent-up promise that many other wines of this vintage have demonstrated. But we should not throw out the baby with the bathwater. There are many château where the shine can be dulled by comparison with the likes of Las-Cases or Ducru. Taken independently, these are good wines. I have some 1995 in the cellar, and will be able to see whether or not this vintage, at least, lives up to its early promise. (4/9/00, updated 21/2/07)

Contact details:
Address: Château Saint-Pierre, 33250 St-Julien-Beychevelle
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 56 59 08 18
Fax: +33 (0) 5 56 59 16 18
Internet: www.chateau-saint-pierre.com
GPS: 45.147101, -0.742757

Château Saint-Pierre - Tasting Notes

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Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 2010: A dark wine, with a crimson rim. And on the nose a dark fruit character, not well defined, masked somewhat by some sweet honeyed oak. But there is a nice perfume here peeking through at times. An attractively cool style, the fruit well defined compared to the aromatics on the nose, the texture quite creamy but well framed and with well described edges. There are some very polished tannins, with just a hint of grain to them, veering towards a touch of chewiness later in the palate. Good acids though. A promising and perhaps undervalued wine, with a lovely perfumed finish. From my Bordeaux 2010 primeurs assessment. 16.5-17.5/20 (April 2011)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 2009: There is a grainy, toasty element from the oak here, but there is a good depth of fruit behind it as well. Aromatically there is a certain similarity between this wine and its stablemate, Gloria. A similar oak source or regimen? The palate is supple, with a broad and seamless presence of fruit just covering a rather confident central core of tannin, which sits well with some fresh acidity. Savoury and structured, with a firm, bold and attractive finish, this is a very appealing wine. Lovely long, tangible substance to the length. Very good indeed. From a tasting of 2009 Bordeaux at two years of age. 18/20 (October 2011)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 2009: This wine has a very dark core with a bright crimson rim. The nose provides us with some bright and crystalline fruit, with a dark, black berry character. A very cool style on entry, supple, although through the middle it has a more lush feel. A good core of acidity, and a layer of soft, well-honed tannins. The finish has a pure, soft fruit character, leading into a good length. An attractive wine, with no unnecessary fuss; this should come very good. From my 2009 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 17-18+/20 (March 2010)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 2008: A layer of lightly crunchy red-black cherry fruit. A little green peppercorn. Smoky-toasty. An appealing, fresh, lean style on entry, with a good grippy edge, the tannins very dominant here. Piles of spice and pepper. A lot of structure showing through here above the flesh of the wine, which is elegant but subsumed by a dominant frame of tannin. Good acidity too. Appealing but it will need a long time in the cellar to come together. Long, spicy, slightly green and tannic finish. The balance is a little firm but there is fruit behind the structure and with a decade or more in the cellar it may come good. From a tasting of 2008 Bordeaux at two years of age. 16.5-17+/20 (October 2010)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 2008: Fresh, vibrant, sweet and dense fruit, and a lovely, sweet, creamy palate. A good peppery backbone of tannin, with a very firm grip but a fine and supple texture. There is a lovely meaty richness to it, good fruit complexity, and a nice flesh as well. An impressive effort from this château; this should be very good indeed. From my 2008 Bordeaux primeur assessment. 17-18+/20 (April 2009)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 2007: Solid fruit on the nose here, quite reserved, with clean fruit. Not very expressive at first, but opening out with time to show a more expressive character, with notes of black olive and vanilla. A supple entry, a little lean, but with more flesh in the midpalate. The tannins are soft, polished, although a little harder and more gritty in the finish. Light and short, but well composed and overall good. From a tasting of 2007 Bordeaux at two years of age. 15.5+/20 (October 2009)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 2007: A lovely presence of open fruit, expressive and pretty. Showing a lot of smoky and toasty oak at present, but that is quite normal at this stage. Appealing and supple, a very firm core of tannins, moderate fruit and flesh. Firmly composed, a classic style with good acidity and bright fruit character. This has the potential to drink well. From my 2007 Bordeaux en primeur assessment. 14.5-15.5+/20 (April 2008)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 2006: Really attractive nose here, a good density of fruit, open and with a fresh perfume, still with a little touch of oaky sweetness but not at all an obtrusive character. A soft start on the palate but much better composed in the middle, moderate concentration but certainly plenty of good flavour, substance and style here. Precise, needling tannins and fresh acidity, and a slightly fuzzy black fruit substance although this should come together with time, and a nice lift of tobacco at the end. I think this has really good potential. From a 2006 Bordeaux tasting at four years of age. 16.5+/20 (November 2010)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 2006: This wine has a darker character than the Talbot, with sweet oak over a wealth of cherry fruit. Nice flesh on the palate, well balanced and elegant, with some ripe and sweetly-grained tannins. Rather savoury and supple fruit, with a good substance to it. A nice wine here. From a tasting of 2006 Bordeaux at two years of age. 16.5+/20 (October 2008)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 2005: Perfumed, chalky fruit, rather restrained, but what is apparent is a dark fruit character, with some appealing, crunchy, perfumed elements. Lots of substance on entry onto the palate, lots of texture and a broad style, with sweetly ripe but still firm tannins underneath it all. Good acidity, bright and vibrant fruit character, fresh and lively. Touches of coffee and liquorice too. This has very good potential. From a 2005 Bordeaux tasting at four years of age. 18+/20 (November 2009)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 2004: This wine carries the aromas of sweet liquorice and pencil graphite over sweet fruit. It seems surprisingly open and approachable, with the suggestion of early maturity on the nose. The palate has a soft and welcoming flesh, with a nice smoky grip beneath. A lovely, meaty, slightly earthy character, spiced with a hint of green peppercorn. Overall a good wine, but in a rather awkward phase right now, so difficult to judge. I suspect it will come good given another five years or so as all the raw materials are here. Tasted over dinner in Bordeaux. 16-17+?/20 (March 2010)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 2001: Perfumed dark fruit on the nose. Plenty of tannin coating the mouth here. Rounded, with good acidity. Has potential, and should develop some good character with time. Needs eight to ten years. 15.5+/20 (May 2004)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 2000: This wine gives off a little perfume on the nose but, unsurprisingly at this stage in its evolution, it is quite well closed down. The palate is full of texture, being ripe, supple, bordering on voluptuous. Correct acidity, so nicely balanced. It gives nothing away right now, but this has very good potential. 16+/20 (May 2004)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 1999: Beautiful perfumed violets on the nose. Full, sweet and textured on the palate. Moderate acidity. There are some firm tannins on the palate, although I think this will drink relatively early. Needs three to four years. 15+/20 (May 2004)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 1995: I have fond memories of the last time I tasted this wine, even though it was a decade ago! I was blown away by its sweet fruit and undercurrent of coffee grounds, so I immediately went out and bought some; ten years later, this is the first of those bottles. A dark hue in the glass. Initially quite stony on the nose, a touch animally, but I think it merely needs a little air. It shows some dark and hot fruit, with hints of warm plum, later firming up with more stony-gravelly plum and cherry character, with a touch of brûlée, vanilla and caramelised fruit. Fabulous, fresh, complex, deep, rich and yet masculine in style, with bags of texture and weight. Great acidity to counterbalance the creamy substance. Ripe tannins in the back, quite incisive, and appealing. Overall a fine, rounded substance, and character-packed finish. Very long, and really under-rated. From a 1995 Bordeaux tasting. 17.5+/20 (March 2010)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 1995: An intense purple hue, with absolutely no fading at the rim. Incredibly intense ground coffee on the nose, with more toffee oak. The palate has a similarly intense flavour profile matching that of the nose. Packed with tannin and correct acidity. Obviously a young wine. 17+/20 (September 2000)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 1990: Good fruity nose. Similarly, sweet fruit on the palate. A lovely structure, with less aggressive tannins, correct acidity and a medium body. Drinking very nicely now, but will hold its own for years yet. 17/20 (September 2000)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 1989: There is plenty of dense, rich, mineral fruit on the nose here. The palate carries a beautiful layer of fruit, which is rich and warm, draped over wonderful structure. Fine tannins and great balance are this wines strong points. I feel, however, that it lacks any great style or complexity. There's a tannic twist to the finish. From a Bordeaux 1989 blind horizontal tasting. 17/20 (January 2002)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 1989: Red-purple with a hint of tawny at the rim. Initially quite closed on the nose, opening out to reveal some toffee oak characteristics. Quite soft on the palate, with good acidity, obvious tannins, but a bit backward with regard to flavour profile. A tannic finish. 17/20 (September 2000)

Château Saint-Pierre (St-Julien) 1986: A dark, purple black. Massive fruit on the nose. Tannic palate, but stacked to the ceiling with rich fruit. A rich, sumptuous, lovely wine. Another great effort from this little-publicised (in the UK at least) château. From a Bordeaux 1986 blind horizontal tasting. 17+/20 (February 2001)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 1986: Subtle toffee oak on the nose. Tannic palate, persisting right through to the finish. Good fruit though. This wine has a long life ahead of it yet. 16.5+/20 (September 2000)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 1985: A deep and rich mahogany red. A rather vegetal nose, but with some good smoky cigar nuances. The palate is soft and well rounded, packed with juicy fruit, with smooth, silky tannins. Correct acidity, more cigar box and peppery oak on the endpalate, leading into a clean although tannic finish. Good length. 16/20 (September 2000)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 1982: Not quite an opaque wine, but certainly deeply coloured. A surprise on the nose, which offers aromas of coffee and mocha alongside the mature fruit. A metallic edge. Full, tannic, austere palate. Lovely extract and a good texture. A better showing than my last tasting four years ago. From a Bordeaux 1982 blind horizontal tasting. 17/20 (May 2004)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 1982: A mahogany, tawny appearance. A closed nose, but with good fruit on the palate. Obviously a good wine, but not showing as well as the others tonight. 17/20 (September 2000)

Château Saint-Pierre (St Julien) 1981: Also a rich, although slightly less dense colour. More smoky cigar aromas, much less vegetal. On the palate again nicely integrated silky tannins. Lots of fruit, leading into a soft, less tannic finish. Lovely length. 16.5/20 (September 2000)