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Château de Ferrand 2019

Back to Bordeaux this week (about time, I hear some readers cry), and an opportunity to look at a younger vintage than I would usually feature as my Weekend Wine, from among the ever-growing ranks of the grand cru classé châteaux in St Emilion.

Château de Ferrand is situated on the edge of the plateau, on a limestone isthmus which it shares with another similarly classified property, Château Destieux, while just below, on the clay and limestone slopes, sits Château Lassègue. The history of the estate stretches back several hundred years, at least as far the mid-17th century when it was the property of Gabriel de Bétoulaud (1616 – 1650) a significant figure in the Bordeaux parliament who built this country residence in the image of Le Grand Trianon, in Versailles.

There was certainly active viticulture by the 18th century, which persisted through to modern day, yet despite this the property never bothered the ranks of the St Emilion classification until it was finally promoted in the 2012 reiteration. This success came on the back of the construction of new cellars, completed in 2010, funded by owners the Bich family (Bich as in the Bic biro), in the shape of Pauline Bich and her husband Philippe Chandon-Moët. The property retained its elevated position in the 2022 classification, by this time under the rule of general director Gonzague de Lambert, appointed here in 2017. In the interim the property had seen a restructuring of the vineyard, pulling up unwanted Cabernet Sauvignon (its final appearance in the grand vin was in 2016), increasing planting density, organic certification (in 2018) and the appointment of a new consultant, the academic Axel Marchal, who took over from Hubert de Boüard de Laforest.

Château de Ferrand 2019

Recent vintages in Bordeaux cater for all tastes, with two vintages in particular – 2016 and 2019 – standing out for their admirable structures, balance and energy, as well as ripeness and depth of flavour (for more nervosity, try 2017 or 2021; for velvety grip and huge fruit, try 2018). During recent visits to Bordeaux it has not gone unnoticed (by me, anyway) that whenever a proprietor or technical director seeks to impress, they pull the cork on a 2016 (that’s if they don’t have a bottle of the 1982 or 1945 to hand, obviously). I wouldn’t be surprised if, during the next year or two, this emphasis switches to 2019.

The 2019 vintage was troubled in the early stages by frost (although Château de Ferrand is naturally protected by its elevation) and rain during the flowering, but thereafter conditions were very fine, with several spells of very warm weather through June and July. The ripening from that point right up to the harvest was near-perfect, and Gonzague de Lambert began picking his Merlot (73% of the blend) on September 19th, finishing eight days later, followed by the Cabernet Franc (27% of the blend) on October 3rd and 4th. After that the élevage lasts between 12 and 16 months, typically using 50% new oak.

In the glass the 2019 from Château de Ferrand displays a dense if not quite opaque appearance, wrapped in a thin, bright, cherry-red rim. The nose is full of character, with dark and dried black cherry fruits, laced with notes of dark chocolate, coffee bean and molten tar, lifted with little notes of sage and bay leaf. While the fruit character is certainly still in the modern vein, the savoury herby and peppery notes are perhaps the more striking (and appealing) feature on this encounter. This is followed by a coherently composed palate, rich in dark fruits mirroring the nose, with dried kirsch-infused cherries laced with salty mineral and tobacco from the new oak. These come supported by firm tannins, a little oaky structure, and a confident grip into the finish. This holds up very well, and is surprisingly drinkable now – a marker of the vintage, I am sure – but I am certain it will develop well for ten years (or more) in the right cellar. The alcohol declared on the label is 14.5%. 92/100 (4/12/23)

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