Chateau de la Marjoliere Cahors

Sumptuously rich flavours of black cherry and leather in this Malbec from Cahors. The extended bottle ageing has mellowed the tannins to give a soft mouthfeel and long, lingering finish. A delicious partner for rich stews and roasted vegetables.

80% Malbec, 20% Merlot. Aged purely in concrete vats in order to allow the wine to express its natural character and flavour as clearly and brightly as possible. Immediately the wine’s bouquet exudes freshness and ripeness in perfect harmony. Bold dark summer fruit, black cherry, briar and just a hint of capsicum to add lift and spice. Gentle, mellow tannins provide the necessary spine whilst also keeping the rich fruit in check. Cries out for meat, especially beef or game. Appetising and well balanced with a long finish.

Five generations have been growing vines at the Chateau since the middle of the 19th Century. The historical region of Cahors (home of the once fabled 'Black Wine') in south-west France some 50 miles north of Toulouse has started to make a welcome return to our affections. With its wines based on the noble Malbec grape, Cahors has seized its chance to return to centre ground through a combination of the popularity of Malbec (primarily from Argentina) and its unique terroir and long history. By fine tuning work in both cellar and vineyard as well as marrying traditional techniques with modern practices, the wines are more consistently showing their full potential. The current owner of Château de la Marjolière, Isabelle Rey-Auriat, is the daughter, granddaughter and great granddaughter of family winemakers and an only daughter. She grew up locally, in Quercy but it was after completing her academic studies in business in Toulouse that she decided to  take over the 14-hectare family property of Château Haut d'Aglan, in Soturac. This was back in 1994, her first vintage. Isabelle also owns the neighbouring vineyards of Château de la Marjolière whose four hectares of vines are situated mid-slope at 200 metres on the right bank of the river Lot, on a clay-limestone soil. The south facing aspect ensures that the vines benefit from the maximum number of hours of sunshine. The three year conversion to being certified organic was completed in 2011. Isabelle chooses to age the wine in concrete vats for 12 months. The wine undergoes a natural clarification before bottling without filtering or fining. The aim is to reflect the grapes' natural flavour as purely as possible - for the wine to express the essence of its origins.

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