This superb red wine from Graves in the Bordeaux region is the ideal treat for Christmas or Special Occasions

The Château de France estate has had a long and interesting history. The current mansion on the estate was modelled by Jean-Henri Lacoste in the 19th century. In 1971 Château de France was acquired by Bernard Thomassin and since 1996 has been advised by Michel Rolland and managed by Arnaud Thomassin.

The Graves region sits to the south east of Bordeaux on the left bank of the Gironde river Here the terroir is very special with ideal soil conditions to produce fine wines. The grapes for the Pessac-Léognan red are grown in deep gravelly soil from the Pyrenees with patches of a chalky/clay subsoil. Château de France grow a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes to produce red wine, and Sauvignon and Sémillon for the whites. Their other wines they produce are the Château Coquillas red, Le Bec en Sabot red, Chateau de France White and Château Coquillas White. The first two feature Cabernet-Sauvignon and Merlot and the second two Sauvignon and Sémillon.

Pessac-Léognan AOC 2015 has a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 60% Merlot. The grapes were handpicked, and the wine was matured in new barrels.

The wine pours a garnet red colour with flashes of light. In the bouquet there are powerful aromas of ripe blackcurrants and plums with hints of cedar and vanilla. As the wine moves to the palate the fruity flavours persist and are joined by black cherries and notes of liquorice, tobacco, a little pepper and oak. The combination of flavours produces a very elegant and satisfying taste.

The well-structured tannins produce a very smooth wine, and a touch of acidity makes it a good companion to rich food. The finish is long leaving a very uplifting taste of fruit and spice. You can drink this wine now or lay it down for future enjoyment.

This is an ideal wine to pair with steak or game dishes and would also work extremely well with mature cheeses.

To find out more about the Château de France estate and the wines they produce go to https://chateau-de-france.com/

This and other wines from Château de France are available in the UK from https://www.wineswithattitude.co.uk

The webpage for the Château de France Pessac-Léognan AOC is
https://www.wineswithattitude.co.uk/country/france/pessac-leognan-rouge-bordeaux.html