Château de France 2021

Tasting characteristics and advice for Château de France 2021

Tasting

Color

The color displays a dark, dense hue, reflecting careful phenolic extraction and a concentration of ripe fruit.

Nose

The nose reveals a complex aromatic expression combining ripe black fruits, elegant woody notes and the hallmark aromas of bread crust. Hints of fresh red fruit round out the profile, lifted by subtle spicy and licorice nuances that add finesse and depth to the bouquet.

Palate

The attack is remarkably smooth and fluid, giving way to a dense yet velvety tannic structure. The palate unveils layers of pure, elegant fruit—both fresh and juicy—carried by a generous breadth that leads into a lingering finish with silky, perfectly integrated tannins.

Food and wine pairings

This Château de France 2021 red pairs ideally with grilled or roasted red meats such as a rib steak or a leg of lamb. It also matches braised dishes like beef stew, dark-meat poultry, and herb- and spice-driven saucy dishes. Game preparations are likewise an excellent match for this structured, complex wine.

Serving and cellaring

Château de France 2021 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 16 and 18°C. This age-worthy wine can be enjoyed until around 2033, offering a fine tasting window to follow its evolution in the cellar.

A balanced, elegant red wine from Pessac-Léognan

The estate

Created in 1971 when Bernard Thomassin purchased and revitalized the property, Château de France is a 40-hectare family estate in AOC Pessac-Léognan. Today, Arnaud, Véronique and Virginie Thomassin are its co-owners, with Arnaud Thomassin serving as managing director. The vineyard, entirely replanted and then expanded, stands out for the named site Ferbos and the fossil-bearing parcel “Coquillat” dating back 19 million years, as well as for its independent distribution and the guidance of the Rolland laboratory since 1996.

The vineyard

The Château de France vineyard stretches across one of the highest slopes of the Léognan terrace, within the Pessac-Léognan appellation. The soils are composed of deep gravel mixed with clay, ensuring optimal drainage while gradually releasing the heat accumulated during the day. This privileged setting benefits from exceptional exposure and generous sunshine. The terroir notably includes the named site Ferbos and the “Coquillat” parcel, remarkable for its 19-million-year-old fossils, which lend the wines a distinctive minerality and refined elegance.

The vintage

The 2021 vintage proved particularly demanding across the entire Bordeaux vineyard. After a wet winter and an initially mild spring, severe frost episodes struck the vines in early April. The growing cycle was then disrupted by heavy June rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms and hail, encouraging the development of downy mildew. Despite these challenging conditions, August and September brought more favorable weather, allowing the grapes to ripen correctly. This vintage required rigorous selection and meticulous work in the vineyard to produce quality wines reflecting the year’s hallmark freshness.

Winemaking and aging

Winemaking for Château de France 2021 begins with manual harvesting followed by alcoholic fermentation lasting seven to ten days in seventeen temperature-controlled tanks, with a maximum temperature maintained at 30°C. A maceration of three to four weeks follows fermentation to harmoniously extract phenolic and aromatic compounds. Aging then takes place for fourteen to eighteen months in barrels, 50% new oak and 50% one-wine barrels. Before bottling, the wine is clarified with egg white and then lightly filtered in order to preserve its texture and complexity.

Grape varieties

Cabernet sauvignon (60%)
Merlot (40%).