Relatively small in size, with a high focus on quality, Pomerol is an exemplary, respected red wine-growing region in Bordeaux, southwestern France, near Saint-Emilion. Unlike Bordeaux, Pomerol does not have a wine castle classification system (similar to Médoc, Graves, Sauternes and Saint-Émilion), but bottles from this region are constantly improving their rankings on the wine world map. Referring to Pomerol, people often immediately think of the “big guys” like Petrus, Le Pin, Lafleur – the “rivals” of the Médoc Grand Cru Classe, in terms of both quality and price.
Domaine de l’Eglise is the oldest castle in the entire Pomerol region, dating back to the 16th century. The castle was devastated by a severe frost in 1956 and was sold again in 1972. for the Casteja family and the merchant Borie-Manoux. Under the sharp mind and heart of Mr. Philippe Casteja, starting from vintage 2009, people gradually witness a dramatic change in the quality of wine produced at this castle, reaching a stable performance from vintage 2015; in which vintage 2019 is considered the best vintage.
The name L’Eglise (church) reflects the location of the castle, located right next to Pomerol’s cathedral, not far from the famous Château Petrus. Surrounding them are other famous neighboring castles: Chateau Levangile, Chateau Clinet and Chateau l’Eglise Clinet (east), Chateau Le Gay (west) and one street north is Château La Croix de Gay and Château Rouget. There are many scattered plots of land, but the castle’s best vineyards are located very close to the famous church in the area, with the predominant soil being gravel, sand, and clay.
On an area of 7 hectares, Domaine de l’Eglise focuses mainly on Merlot (95%) and Cabernet Franc (5%), with each vine having an average age of 40 years. The character of Merlot makes each bottle rich, powerful, yet smooth on the tip of the tongue, accessible even when young, yet offers great storage potential for boundless longevity. Meanwhile, the presence of Cabernet Franc adds structure and spice to the bottle.
For this bottle of wine, wine drinkers should let the wine mature for at least 3-5 years in the bottle, and wait about 4-15 years from the production year to enjoy the full essence of the bottle when it is at the top. Chateau du Domaine de l’Eglise bottle leaves an impression on diners by its rich aroma of ripe fruit, truffle, dark chocolate, balanced, round taste, with very smooth tannins, velvety structure. The subtle mint scent is an unforgettable feature of the bottle.
One of Borie-Manoux’s “trumps”, with Chateau Trotte Vieille in St. Emilion, Chateau Batailley in Pauillac and Chateau La Croix du Casse, another Pomerol castle, are also highly valued.
Domaine de l’Eglise is now available at the WeWine retail stores nationwide. Visit us or call 1900 636 749 for the best advice and order.
