Château de Cruzeau: Tasting & Drinking
Like its stablemate Château de Rochemorin, the wines of Château de Cruzeau provide a good-quality and reliable route into the world of Pessac-Léognan. There are admittedly a good number of such properties outside the Graves classification, but the skill and aptitude of Jacques Lurton and his extensive team ensures that the wines of these two estates are among the most reliable. And, as the vineyards are extensive, these wines also have the advantage of being well-priced and widely distributed. This is a rare example of a Pessac-Léognan you might find lurking on the shelves of a supermarket.
Why was the property not included in the Graves classification? Simple. There were no vines here when this classification was drawn up in the 1950s, so no possibility of the estate being so ranked.
The whites of Château de Cruzeau are often of greater interest to me than the reds. In a good vintage, one blessed with mature fruit but also nice acidity, the good quality of the Château de Cruzeau white wine is almost guaranteed. The reds are also worthwhile, but tend towards a more solid style than many of their counterparts, perhaps a reflection of the estate’s expansive terroir, and the significant role played in the blend by Merlot. Nevertheless, the red wine has the potential to show development in the cellar over 10 to 15 years, probably more, so this could be a route into drinking Pessac-Léognan with some secondary character which does not break the bank.
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