Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesComing from a tiny 3.4-hectare vineyard and based on 90% Merlot and 5% each Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2020 Chateau Lecuyer has a great bouquet of cassis, blueberries, iron, and smoked tobacco. Medium to full-bodied and elegant, with remarkable purity and a lively spine of acidity, it's a beautiful Pomerol to enjoy over the coming 15+ years. Best After 2023.
This is rich and flavorful with deep dark berries and notes of chocolate, coffee, dried orange peel and bitter spices. Full and chewy with lots of spicy and earthy notes to its dark-fruited palate. Firm tannin structure and a lingering finish. 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc. Best After 2025
Barrel Sample: 90-92
Chateau Lecuyer is a micro-estate of only 3 hectares (7 acres) located in the prestigious Pomerol appellation. Originally known as Chateau de Bourgueneuf, it is now called Lecuyer when Emeric Petit took over the estate in 2004. It benefits from an exceptional terroir. 1 hectare is located on the summit of the famous Pomerol plateau next to Clos L'Eglise, Chateau Clinet and Chateau Rouget. The other 2 hectares are located in the heart of Pomerol.
In the early years of his ownership of the estate, Emeric Petit was assisted by the famous oenologist Mr. Jean-Claude Berrouet (of Petrus) and Ms. Catherine Cohen. Today, Emeric is a rising star and making a name for himself with his consistently excellent wines. Lecuyer is a lovely boutique estate offering every year outstanding quality at reasonable prices. As a result, it is sold out very quickly to the limited production. The vines are 40 years old in average and lie on gravel and limestone soils. After manuel harvest, the grapes are fermented in small stainless steel vats. The yields are low and vinifications are done by parcel. The wine is then aged in 100% new French oak barrels for 18 months. No fining or filtering. Estate grown and bottled. Sustainable and organic practices.
A source of exceptionally sensual and glamorous red wines, Pomerol is actually a rather small appellation in an unassuming countryside. It sits on a plateau immediately northeast of the city of Libourne on the right bank of the Dordogne River. Pomerol and St-Émilion are the stars of what is referred to as Right Bank Bordeaux: Merlot-dominant red blends completed by various amounts of Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon. While Pomerol has no official classification system, its best wines are some of the world’s most sought after.
Historically Pomerol attached itself to the larger and more picturesque neighboring region of St-Émilion until the late 1800s when discerning French consumers began to recognize the quality and distinction of Pomerol on its own. Its popularity spread to northern Europe in the early 1900s.
After some notable vintages of the 1940s, the Pomerol producer, Petrus, began to achieve great international attention and brought widespread recognition to the appellation. Its subsequent distribution by the successful Libourne merchant, Jean-Pierre Mouiex, magnified Pomerol's fame after the Second World War.
Perfect for Merlot, the soils of Pomerol—clay on top of well-drained subsoil—help to create wines capable of displaying an unprecedented concentration of color and flavor.
The best Pomerol wines will be intensely hued, with qualities of fresh wild berries, dried fig or concentrated black plum preserves. Aromas may be of forest floor, sifted cocoa powder, anise, exotic spice or toasted sugar and will have a silky, smooth but intense texture.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.