2020 Chateau Chauvin Saint Emilion Grand Cru

Located in the scenic countryside, just northwest of Saint-Émilion, you'll find Château Chauvin. This winery is perfectly situated between the famous Cheval Blanc and the Butte de Rol, just a stone's throw from Pomerol. Here, the vineyards thrive in sandy clay soil, and iron-rich subsoil, very similar to that of the famous Pomerol vineyards. These soils, powerful grape varieties and deep respect for the local terroir are what drive the family at Château Chauvin to craft wines that truly capture the soul of the land.

Château Chauvin's journey is nothing short of captivating. It all began in 1852 when Château Chauvin became separate from the larger Corbin estate, starting its own unique journey.

 By 1891, the estate found itself in the hands of Victor Ondet, who saw its potential as a serene countryside haven, transforming it into a thriving vineyard. However, it was in May 2014 that a new chapter unfolded for Château Chauvin when Sylvie Cazes and her children—Julie, Pierre, and François Régimbeau—stepped into the picture. They truly appreciated the land legacy for what it was. And so, embarked on an intense restructuring program, breathing new life into the vineyard, refining vineyard practices, and improving winemaking techniques. As the 2014 vintage marked the debut of this new label, it symbolized Château Chauvin's commitment to its cherished land.

Considering the wines are Gran Cru, there are specific rules Château Chauvin has to adhere to, only to ensure the highest quality is upheld. These regulations include limitations on how many bottles they can produce, ensuring grapes reach optimal ripeness before harvest, ensuring a minimum alcohol content, and ensuring extended aging periods before release. The result? Superb wines - including the 2015 Chateau Chauvin Saint-Emilion Grand Cru.

The wine is a powerful blend of 80% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon - from 30-year-old vines. For a medium-bodied wine, it packs quite the punch with great intensity, complexity and an abundance of flavors. 

2020 was an exceptional vintage that was awarded 98 points by Vinous Media, who said, “An exceptional vintage for Bordeaux, certainly the best in the 2018-2020 trilogy. Quality is exceptionally high among the great wines of Saint-Émilion and Pomerol.”

Aging: 16 months in barrels using 60% new oak.

70% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is rich and fruit-forward, yet silky and elegant. Expect notes of Dark plums, roasted coffee and baking spices, along with unique salt and chalky traits.

Solid and centred showing a really intriguing, deep sensory profile rich in prunes and liquorice. Full bodied, savoury with vibrant tannins and a vertical finale. Better from 2026. ~95 WinesCritic.com

The 2020 Château Chauvin offers up a vivid purple hue as well as a meaty, powerful nose of ripe black cherries, roasted herbs, jus de viande, graphite, and a terrific sense of minerality. Showing more floral nuances with time in the glass, it's medium to full-bodied, has a concentrated, layered mouthfeel, the building tannins of the vintage, and outstanding length. Give it 2-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades. ~94 Jeb Dunnuck

Chocolate, bay leaves, oregano and blackcurrants. Full-bodied, with firm yet nicely ripe and polished tannins. Broad and seamless. Caressing and velvety at the end. ~93 James Suckling

Composed of 70% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, aging in French oak barrels, 60% new, for 15-18 months, the 2020 Chauvin has a deep purple-black color and vibrant scents of crushed black cherries, black raspberries and juicy blackberries, plus hints of violets, clove oil and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate is densely packed with muscular black and red berry layers, framed by firm, fine-grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and fragrant. ~93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The wine has richness that imbues the tannins with generosity. The juicy berry flavors and acidity are already succulent. It is the core of dryness that promises the aging. ~93 Wine Enthusiast

Dark garnet, purple reflections, opaque core, delicate brightening on the rim. Fresh cherries, hint of tobacco and herbal savouriness, blackberry notes, candied orange zest. Deep, red wild berries, fresh acidity, vivid tannins, mineral-salty finish, cool style. Will benefit from bottle age. ~93 Falstaff

Beautiful aromatics on the nose which is fragrant and full. Bright acidity and a lively red fruit profile on the palate, more strawberry and redcurrant than black fruits, with searing acidity that does come across as a touch drying right now, along with some salty, wet stone notes and lashings of dark chocolate, cedar, cocoa and liquorice. The grainy tannins and woody elements linger on the cheeks and stop the fruit progression a little early, but this has good potential. ~92 Decanter

Plenty of staying power to the blackberry and cassis fruits, an edge of bitterness comes in clearly through the mid palate but the extraction has been well controlled and this is serious, a little reserved, but with a creaminess as it opens in the glass. Sylvie Cazes owner, Michel Rolland, 15ha. ~92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

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