Château Picque Caillou 2018

Tasting characteristics and advice for Château Picque Caillou 2018

Tasting

Color
The color displays a deep, intense garnet-purple hue, reflecting the remarkable concentration of this vintage.

Nose
The nose reveals lovely aromatic complexity, with notes of blackcurrant and blackberry, complemented by mineral nuances of graphite and incense. Earthy touches evoking forest mushrooms and damp soil enhance the bouquet, while the oak integrates harmoniously without overpowering the fruit expression.

Palate
On the palate, the wine is powerful and full-bodied, with a fine concentration of dark fruit. The tannic structure, ripe and well integrated, offers a remarkable silky texture. The balance between fruit, acidity and tannins remains harmonious, leading to a long, flavorful finish with mineral and earthy accents.

Food and wine pairings
This wine pairs perfectly with grilled or roasted red meats, notably a rib steak or an entrecôte. It also matches beautifully with game, a porcini risotto, or dishes featuring black truffles. Aged cheeses such as Comté also make excellent companions for this structured Pessac-Léognan.

Serving and cellaring
Château Picque Caillou 2018 is best enjoyed at a temperature of 16 to 18°C. This wine can be enjoyed from 2025-2026 and will keep until around 2032, or even beyond under optimal storage conditions.

An elegant, expressive Pessac-Léognan

The estate
Founded in 1755 by Jean Laclotte, Château Picque Caillou is located at the gateway to Bordeaux, in the Pessac-Léognan appellation. Run since the 1990s by Paulin and Isabelle Calvet, the estate stands out for its Günzian gravel terroir, ideal for producing white wines renowned for their minerality and freshness, as well as balanced red wines. Despite increasing urbanization, it remains one of the last viticultural strongholds in the area, with a strong environmental commitment.

The vineyard
The vineyard of Château Picque Caillou rests on an exceptional terroir of Gunz-type Pyrenean gravels, from which the estate draws its evocative name. These gravelly soils, formed by historic overflows of the Garonne, provide optimal drainage and give the wine its characteristic minerality. Located in the Mérignac area, the vineyard benefits from a favorable microclimate linked to the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean. The average age of the vines is 25 years, ensuring concentration and aromatic depth. The estate has been certified Haute Valeur Environnementale since 2018, reflecting a strong commitment to sustainable, environmentally responsible winegrowing practices within the Pessac-Léognan appellation.

The vintage
The 2018 vintage in Bordeaux was marked by contrasting weather conditions. A very rainy winter and spring, with major sanitary challenges linked to powdery mildew and downy mildew, required constant vigilance. However, from July through the end of October, magnificent weather set in, with above-average sunshine and high temperatures. These conditions allowed full, optimal ripening of all black varieties, producing wines of remarkable power and concentration, while preserving exceptional freshness thanks to particularly low pH levels.

Winemaking and aging
Winemaking for Château Picque Caillou 2018 begins with hand harvesting and rigorous sorting on a trailer. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats between 25°C and 28°C, followed by post-fermentation macerations at 30°C for around ten days. Malolactic fermentation occurs in vat. Aging then continues for twelve months in oak barrels, with 34% new barrels, 33% one-wine barrels and 33% two-wine barrels. This distribution enables harmonious oak integration, favoring elegance and the expression of the terroir.

Grape varieties
Cabernet sauvignon (60%), merlot (30 to 35%), petit verdot (5 to 10%)