This Chateau Vieux Poirier 2012 is more than just a breakthrough price for chateau-bottled Bordeaux. It has unique blend of Malbec and Merlot grapes, which gives it a rich, smooth, fruit-driven style.
A Malbec in Bordeaux is not the fish out of water you may think it is. Historically, Malbec was one of the primary grape types produced in Bordeaux, where winemakers added it to their blends because of the pronounced fruit, complexity, and deep color it contributes. The vine lacks heartiness, however, and fell out of favor because of its particular susceptibility to horticultural ailments such as coulure, downy mildew, and frost. A severe frost in 1956 destroyed a significant portion of the Malbec plantings in Bordeaux, and many growers chose to replant with a different grape type. And that's the story of how Malbec was supplanted by Merlot and Cabernet Franc in Bordeaux.
Now, just because Chateau Vieux Poirier is no fish out of water, doesn't mean it's not a rare bird, because it is. Only one thousand cases of this wine are made each year, and each with extraordinary care - and respect for the environment.
Chateau Vieux Poirier is certified organic, which means no chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides - no chemicals of any kind in the vineyard or in the winery and of course natural not artificial yeasts for the fermentation. So you get pure fruit and terroir flavors, unmarred by chemical residues. This is more than rare in Bordeaux where the growing organic movement has been the slow to develop.
And the 2012 vintage? The quality of the vintage was more variable than in the recent 2009 and 2010 blockbuster vintages. What I mean by this is that it was especially important to choose wines from producers who were dedicated to producing a high quality wine, at the expense of making a smaller quantity. The most successful winemakers in 2012 cut their yields dramatically, as Château Vieux Poirier did. Also, Château Vieux Poirier's vineyards are located in Galcon, which is on the Right Bank of Bordeaux nearby Fronsac, which was among the most successful Bordeaux appellations in 2012.
Luscious, sturdy and delicious - Château Vieux Poirier is an easy choice to make this your house Bordeaux.
-Margot Hurley, Cynthia Hurley French Wines
