Wine Advisor
Grand Village 2023
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Yohan Castaing
Aromas of cassis, blueberries, dark wild berries and flowers introduce the 2023 Grand Village, a medium to full-bodied, layered and fleshy wine with a deep core of fruit that's framed by powdery tannins, concluding with a long, saline finish. As readers may remember, Grand Village is one of the best values in Bordeaux, and this year, it exceeds expectations. It's one of the sleepers of the vintage. This is a blend of 91% Merlot (picked between the 11th and 14th of September) and 9% Cabernet Franc (picked on the 20th of September).
About the Producer
Founded in 1650 by Jacques Verdery, a direct ancestor of the Guinaudeau family, Château Grand Village is the birthplace of the family of vignerons. Grand Village is located just north of the Fronsac appellation, in the small commune of Mouillac. Grand Village is used as the home base for Jacques and Sylvie Guinaudeau and their family. The vineyards of Chateau Grand Village have remained in the hands of the same family since the 17th century. So, the vineyards for Chateau Grand Village were worked in a classic Bordeaux wine, vine-growing manner. In 2000, the Guinaudeau family, who have been in charge of Chateau Lafleur in Pomerol since 1985 began producing the wines of Grand Village. They switched to managing the vineyards of Chateau Grand Village in the same manner as they do at Chateau Lafleur in Pomerol. The vinification techniques began to mirror what they were doing in Pomerol as well, which improved the quality of wines being produced at Grand Village. Chateau Grand Village Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking The 17 hectare Right Bank vineyard of Grand Village is planted to red and white wine grape varietals. For the red wines, 14 hectares of vines were replanted to 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The Cabernet Franc comes from clones planted at Chateau Lafleur. For the white Bordeaux wines, 3 hectares of vines are planted to 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Semillon. The terroir is similar to what you can find in St. Emilion with its mix of clay, limestone, and gravel. Chateau Grand Village uses many of the same vineyard farming techniques employed at their more famous estate, Chateau Lafleur in Pomerol. They practice pruning and de-budding adapted to each vine plant, crop thinning in summer, and de-leafing. The grapes are picked by hand. This is followed by very careful sorting and selection. Chateau Grand Village is vinified in traditional cement vats and is aged 30% new, French oak barrels for an average of 12 months before bottling. New oak barrels are sent to Chateau Lafleur, where they are used for the aging of the Grand Vin and Pensees de Lafleur. On average, the production of Chateau Grand Village is close to 5,500 cases of wine per year.
