Chateau La Gurgue 2013, Margaux CBS
We believe La Gurgue is the best valued Margaux. Our first vintage with Chateau La Gurgue is 1995 and since then we have been tasting it every year.As always, the nose of Chateau La Gurgue is of cru quality though the palate falls short to deliver the power of most Margaux Crus. However, it remains as a wine rich in aromas, which persists long in the palate of the taster. A sign of quality that never fails us.
As a true Margaux, Chateau La Gurgue is always elegant and complex the bouquet is fruity. In the mouth it is rather round and gives an impression of harmony with well integrated tannins. Our latest experience with La Gurgue 2008 is: patience will definitely be rewarded. This vintage 2013 is unique for its nice spices and bright fruit. On palate, it is silky with brambly dark fruit here. Dense and with weight; bold and gives volume.
Completely surrounded by "crus classés" in the Northeast quadrant, it was previous on Château Margaux Soil. Its proximity to Chateau Margaux means that it shares many of the terroir characteristics of its illustrious neighbour such as deep gravel soil, which provides good drainage. It is also close to Chateau Desmirail. It is owned by famous Bernardette Villars who is a friend to the Hong Kong wine circle; she owns also the Bordeaux ‘New Wavers’ including Chasse Spleen, Ferrière and Haut-Bages-Liberal. In Bernard Genestet’s Guide which is my favourite Margaux reference, some fifty great wine tasters, reunited for the "Essay on the Margaux style" chose Château LA Gurgue as one of the ten benchmark Margaux wines, together with eight Grands Crus Classés and another one Cru Bourgeois.
Harvest is Manual. Annual production is around 60,000 bottles sold entirely in trading. Vine density is 10,000/ha. It has an impressive pure gravel of 4-6 meters. After hand picking, wine making is carried out in stainless steel tanks with relatively short 15 days maceration. The 12-month aging is conducted in oak barrels (25% new). Grape varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon 70%, Merlot 30%. So the design of the wine is towards expression of beauty through simplicity. Taste is more fruit based and terroir driven.
