Château Pierbone 2020

Tasting characteristics and advice for Château Pierbone 2020

Tasting

Color

Deep, intense red color with bright ruby highlights.

Nose

The nose reveals lovely freshness, marked by aromas of ripe dark fruits, notably blackcurrant, complemented by notes of black cherry and blackberry. Subtle spicy touches complete the bouquet, while discreet hints of vanilla and toast, from barrel aging, integrate harmoniously without overshadowing the fruit’s purity.

Palate

On the palate, the wine offers very appealing freshness with a well-balanced structure. The attack is generously rounded, followed by a medium-bodied palate that unfolds with elegance. The tannins stand out for their well-integrated firmness, harmoniously combining with the fruit to create a sense of restrained power. The terroir’s minerality shows through as a delicate saline note on the retronasal finish. The finish is persistent and refined, lingering with complex spicy aromas.

Food and wine pairings

Château Pierbone 2020 pairs harmoniously with grilled red meats and game. A grilled rib steak or a wild boar stew make ideal partners. This wine also complements dishes in rich sauces, such as beef bourguignon, as well as aged cheeses like Comté or Beaufort. Roasted poultry served with wild mushrooms also creates a pleasing match.

Serving and aging

Château Pierbone 2020 is ideally enjoyed at a temperature between 14 and 16°C. Approachable now, this wine can be cellared until around 2040, allowing for harmonious evolution in bottle.

A second wine from Haut-Médoc combining freshness and structure

The estate

Château Pierbone is the Second Wine of Château Peyrabon. Located in the Haut-Médoc appellation, at the gateway to Pauillac, Château Peyrabon is nestled in a true green setting. Owned by Patrick Bernard since 1998, Château Peyrabon has undergone major restructuring and modernization, both in the vineyard and in the cellar. This outstanding benchmark from Haut-Médoc produces wines that are true to the appellation—elegant and powerful—promised to a superb aging potential.

The vineyard

Château Pierbone comes from a 37-hectare vineyard located in the commune of Saint-Sauveur-en-Médoc, in the heart of the Haut-Médoc appellation. The soils are mainly sandy gravel over a clay subsoil, a configuration particularly favorable to cabernet sauvignon. Around five hectares lie on clay-limestone soils that allow merlot to flourish beautifully. The vines have an average age of 29 years.

The vintage

The year 2020 is an exceptional vintage for the Bordeaux region. A mild, wet winter set the vine up well, followed by a cool, rainy spring. Summer proved hot and dry, allowing for full, balanced ripening. Flowering began around May 20 and stretched through May 30, while veraison took place between July 15 and August 10. Harvest occurred under optimal conditions, starting on September 17 for merlot and ending on October 6 for cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc, as well as petit verdot.

Vinification and aging

Château Pierbone 2020 is the result of meticulous, plot-by-plot vinification. The grapes underwent rigorous sorting combining manual, mechanical, and optical approaches. Vinification is carried out in homogeneous lots in temperature-controlled concrete and stainless-steel vats, with fermentation conducted at low temperature between 24 and 25°C. The average maceration time is around 21 days. Aging continues for 14 months in oak barrels, 25% of which are new.

Grape varieties

Cabernet sauvignon (54%), merlot (38%), cabernet franc (5%), petit verdot (3%)