Château Petit Village: Tasting & Drinking
Sadly, my first encounters with the wines of Château Petit Village do not involve tales of the 1961 poured by my father’s hand, but instead relate to samples encountered at tastings, or at the domaine (or – a long time ago, admittedly – tasted at Château Pichon-Baron, where during the primeurs you could taste all the AXA Millésimes wines). My notes relate largely to the wines of the early years of the 21st century, by which time the estate was under the direction of the AXA Millésimes team, and had been for some time. Although, having said that, I did rather enjoy the 1942, an ex-château bottle poured in Bordeaux a year or two (or three) ago.
It was of course about this time (the early 21st century – not 1942) that Gérard Perse was looking at buying the estate. The wines, to be frank, seemed hard and ungiving compared to their Pomerol peers. They were good in good vintages, such as 2001 and 2005, but they seemed reluctant to unfurl and give pleasure. Perhaps with time in the cellar they would have done, but I was not confident.
Then so much changed at Château Petit Village. Christian Seely took charge, and with Perse losing interest perhaps there was a new-found confidence and direction in the estate. A massive program of replanting was undertaken, and there was huge reinvestment in the facilities. The services of a new consultant were engaged, and a new technical director was appointed. The estate was revitalised from top to bottom, and the effect on the wine was tangible. To my palate it showed through most with admirable successes in two more vintages which were difficult in Bordeaux, namely 2012 and 2011. I preferred both the 2012 and 2011 vintages to the 2009, so it doesn’t take a wine expert to recognise that there must have been a dramatic step up in quality somewhere around 2010, which is also a very good year for Château Petit Village.
Château Petit Village thus became a Pomerol property to be reckoned with. For many years it offered great value, not a bargain Pomerol like Château Taillefer or Château Bonalgue but a wine of elegance and definition, showing the very same sense of purity that I see coming through in the most recent releases from Château Pichon-Baron. Of course, with good quality, prices began to creep up. In one vintage Christian Seely told me he that, after some questionable sums, he had released the wine during the primeurs campaign at an accidentally inflated price; his sense of mortification was short-lived, as on checking he saw the wine had sold out anyway. It was perhaps at this moment he knew all the work put in on this estate had paid off. And perhaps, with their work done, and the wine selling at a high price, perhaps we should not be so surprised that the estate was sold.
There is no doubt that before and after the change of hands quality here has been exceptional, with tip-top wines produced in 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023. With continued efforts, however, in particular the redefining and replanting of the vineyard, we can expect quality to inch upwards here in future years. I look forward to seeing how it all turns out. (29/1/08, updated 12/11/14, 1/4/20, 10/8/24)
