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Château La Louvière Red
Château La Louvière has many fascinating facets. The sumptuous architecture of the château building dates from the late 18th century, but winegrowing here goes back more than 700 years. The first vines were planted circa 1310, although modern winemaking dates from the 17th century and was handed down by able monks from the Carthusian monastery in Bordeaux, who had acquired considerable talent as viticulturists and winemakers. The people who produce the wine in the 21st century have inherited these time-honoured methods, adding just the right amount of innovation and modernity to make the utmost of the outstanding terroir. La Louvière's red wine has a dark colour and an elegant bouquet with delicate hints of oak...
Wine style
Full and Complex
Grape blend
Merlot 30% / Cabernet Sauvignon 70%
Weather
There was record rainfall during the first half of 2013. Spring was very cool, even cold (May and June), and this caused a major delay in vine growth (flowering). Much more clement weather (warm and sunny) arrived in July and lasted until the harvest.
Tasting Comment
Appearance
Beautiful, remarkably deep and intense ruby-red colour.
Nose
Elegant bouquet with a balanced blend of red fruit and slightly spicy aromas.
Mouth
This is obviously a classy Cabernet Sauvignon: generous, full-bodied, and very fresh. The tannin is quite concentrated and still a little firm, but is sure to smooth out with age. The wine will reveal its full complexity in 3-4 years, at which time it will be perfect with duck, game, or sweetbreads.
Ratings and reviews
2017 Edition - Although not a classified growth, Château La Louvière borders on Carbonnieux and Haut-Bailly and is one of the emblematic estates of Pessac-Léognan thanks to its elegant château (a listed historic monument), its winemaking tradition going back to the 14th century, the role of its owner (André Lurton since 1965) in fostering the creation of the appellation, and the reliably fine quality of its wines. The deep colour inspires confidence. The bouquet is still closed, but already shows red fruit, forest floor, spicy, and oaky nuances. The wine starts our round and smooth on the palate, going on to display a fine tannic structure. It is still austere on the finish and needs more time.
Buying wines guide - Rich and fruity.
Flashy, sweet oak. Pretty chunky tannins take over the palate, and there isn’t enough fruit concentration. (Richard Hemming)
Lovely purity and lifted aromatics with blackberry fruit that is crunchy and fresh on the palate. Light bodied red that will bring a lot of drinking pleasure in about 4-5 year's time. (Jeannie Cho Lee)
Beautiful colour and powerful nose showing spice and even some smokiness. Firm tannin and a little rough at present, but will surely soften during ageing.
Deep ruby colour, medium to fuller intensity. Cloves and smoky bacon on the nose, but quite subtle, some graphite pencil lead alongside suggesting terroir not just oak. Good firm dark fruits, more black cherry and damson than summer fruits, so may have managed to get further along the ripening cycle. Some interesting firm hold of tannin and acidity. But still lacks that vibrancy and lift to take it to the truly enjoyable. But good potential here. Good chewy tannims. Recommended to Highly Recommended. Drink 2019-2030.
Very pretty with blackberry, licorice and hints of slate. Full body, integrated tannins and a fresh finish. Very well done.
Open and soft, with a perfumy sandalwood and tea profile up front, backed by red currant and cherry pit notes. A lightly firm balsa wood edge holds the finish. This needs time to fill in. (James Molesworth)
Barrel Sample. Here’s a perfumed wine that is infused with smoky tannins and solid blackberry fruit flavors. The aftertaste is juicy and fresh. (Roger Voss)
Consumption period
2018 - 2030
Our suggestions
White meats
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Cheese |
Red meats
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Game
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Ground
Surface
46.00 ha
Soil
Deep gravel
Winemaking
Grape harvest
By hand with small deep crates
Others
Graft stock
101.14 - Riparia gloire - 3309
Plant food
Traditional, limited impact
Plant density
8,500 vines per hectare
Wine average age
26 years
Grape variety
Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot
Pruning type
Double Guyot with debudding
Fermentation
In stainless-steel temperature-controlled tanks with patented cap-breaking system and concrete tanks with pigeage
Fermentation temperature
28 to 30 °C
Malolactic
Yes
Wine maturing
For 12 months in oak barrels (40-50 % new) with racking
Wine montage
Egg white
Maturing potential
Subject to vintage, expressive between 3 and 5 years, can age 15 to 30 years.
Oenologist consultant
Michel ROLLAND and Mikaël LAIZET.
Recipes
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