2019 Château Côtes de Bonde Montagne-Saint-Émilion

 80% Merlot, 15 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec from a single, thirty year old, 33 acre estate vineyard.  Soils are heavy in limestone and clay. Every other row is ploughed, leaving rows of native grass interspersed through the vineyard. Hand sorted. The grapes are de-stemmed and crushed. The grape juice and the skins macerate with pump over twice for 15-21 days with thermoregulated fermentation. Aged in a combination of cement, stainless steel, and older oak barrels.  13% alcohol. 

Pours a deep garnet red and smells exactly as Merlot should, with cherry pit, blackberries, cinnamon, coffee, leather and a hint of oak. Medium bodied but mouthfilling and very smooth. There’s some nice oak spice complementing the red berry fruit and earthy notes. Finishes dry and juicy. 

Château Côtes de Bonde has been family owned and operated for five generations. Current owner/winemaker Stéphane Dignac produces wine from two vineyards- one in Montagne-Saint-Émilion and one in Pomerol. Among the satellites of St Emilion, the municipality of Montagne is the largest,with almost 4,000 acres under vine. Located north-east of Libourne, Pomerol is the smallest appellation of great Bordeaux wines, only 2,000 acres of vines. Château Côtes de Bonde was bought, the Montagne property, was purchased by Stéphanes grandparents in 1970.