Confidences de Prieuré-Lichine 2020

A rich and gourmet Margaux Second Wine

The estate

4th Grand Cru Classé in 1855, Château Prieuré-Lichine produces fine Margaux wines that express the singularity of this superb appellation, located on the left bank of the Bordeaux region.

Château du Prieuré de Cantenac became Château Prieuré-Lichine when it was bought by the charismatic Alexis Lichine, the "Pope of Wine" in 1951. Following his passing in 1989, his son Sacha took over the running of the estate until 1999, when the estate became part of the Ballande group.

The philosophy of Château Prieuré-Lichine revolves around excellence and the production of great wines that reveal the full expression and diversity of the fine Margaux terroirs.

Château Prieuré-Lichine’s vineyards spread over 85 hectares. Composed of Garonne gravel, this typical terroir enjoys the heat from the sun during the day and reflects it at night, this ensures the optimal ripeness of the grapes.

The vineyard

30 hectares are dedicated to the production of Confidences de Prieuré-Lichine, Château Prieuré-Lichine’s Second Wine. The vines are 20 years old on average and are planted on gravelly-sandy soils. Following the advice of the famous consultant oenologist, Stéphane Derenoncourt, Confidences de Prieuré-Lichine 2020 is made from a selection of young vines, with the same precision and attention to detail as the estate's Grand Vin.

The vintage

Although the beginning of winter was particularly rainy in November, February was very mild. In mid-March, budburst was even and quantitative. The heavy rainfall in April led to strong mildew pressure, which was managed thanks to the rigour of the estate's teams. Flowering took place in good conditions. The rise in temperature from mid-June to early August had an impact on the vineyard. Although the young vines suffered from water stress, the impact was reduced on the old vines thanks to their deep roots. Ageing is heterogeneous depending on the plots. The stormy episode on August 15th was beneficial even if it was not enough to compensate for the considerable lack of water. The vineyard was perfectly healthy during the harvest.

The vinification and ageing

To respect the integrity of the fruit,  the grapes are brought to the estate in crates and are sorted by hand on a vibrating table followed by optical sorting. The grapes are transferred to the vats using the gravity-flow method and without being crushed. Vatting time is 28 to 30 days. 40% of the wine is aged in in first fill barrels and 60% in second fill barrels.

The blend

Merlot (80%)

Cabernet Sauvignon (20%).

Confidences de Prieuré-Lichine 2020: Characteristics and tasting tips

The tasting

This Margaux Second Wine is alluring due to its velvety feel, its structure, its balance and its delicate tannins.