Château Sainte-Marie - Les Hauts de Sainte-Marie Rouge 2018

Château Sainte-Marie dates back to the 12th century when the vineyard belonged to the Benedictine Abbaye de la Sauve Majeure (one of the oldest abbeys in all of France). This ancient abbey got its name from Silva Major, an immense forest in the region known as Vignoble de l’Entre Deux Mers, or the vineyard between the two seas. Most of the area was destroyed by fire, and today only the 400-year old great sequoias remain. The Château was bought by the Dupuch-Mondon family in 1956. The family is extremely passionate and dedicated in their wine-making techniques, maintaining a deep commitment to the originality of the terroir. The vineyards are situated on hilltops that are among the highest in the appellation, and Stéphane has worked towards transitioning the viticulture over to organic and biodynamic farming since he took over the estate in 1997.

The Les Hauts de Sainte-Marie Rouge, a blend of 67% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, pours a medium ruby with garnet highlights. On the nose, the freshness and vivacity of the wine spring forth with abundant flavors of red plum and cranberry, tinged with potting soil and a whisper of peach. As you take your first sip, the bright, focused and clean fruit flavors are framed by ample acidity and juicy tannins. But don't be fooled; there is enough grip, weight and body to remind you that you are drinking Bordeaux. The wine finishes with great purity of red fruits and a wonderfully complex mix of spice flavors.