2015 Château La Marzelle
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé
“This is insane. What incredible electricity to this wine! It just jolts you with incredible subtlety and length. Mineral, dark chocolate, dark berry and wet earth. From organically grown grapes. Best ever from here.”
95-96
James Suckling The origin
- Vineyard
- 16.28 ha of adjoining land
- Grape varieties
- 80% Merlot - 13% Cabernet franc - 7% Cabernet sauvignon
- Density
- 5 700 à 7 150 plants/ha
- Âge moyen
- 30 years
- Production
- 60 000 bottles
- Situation
- Upper terrace of Saint-Emilion formbed by the former Isle riverbed
- Pruning
- Bordelaise method (2 canes per vine)
- Alcohol
- 14.5%
2015 : Our real premiere in Biodynamics
After our bio debut in 2008 and our learning how to use herbal teas in 2011, we achieved a new stage in 2015: Biodynamics. Under the leadership of Anne Caldéroni, we applied the principles of Biodynamics in our entire vineyard. The vines responded remarkably.
The 2015 vintage enjoyed a much lower rainfall than the thirty-year average.
Despite a slight delay in the bud, the evolution has been exceptional since the end of April. A really beautiful flowering, rapid and uniform throughout the vineyard. Strong early water constraints slightly delayed the ’veraison’ which was unlocked by the welcome rainfalls in August. The wonderful weather conditions in September allowed a good maturation and spreading of the harvest which took place at La Marzelle from September 17th until October 7th, 2015.
The wine tastes superbly. Margarethe Chapelle notes the wine, after sensitive crystallization and tasting as “an exciting wine”. She also highlights “Its fine structure perfectly extracted in winemaking and the silkiness of its velvety texture, along with a well-crafted finish, make it an elegant wine, very notable and with fragrant aromas that will easily seduce a wide range of consumers”.
All our efforts in the vineyard for nearly twenty years, and the significant investment in the cellar contribute to the achievement of this great wine. We are thrilled with the result.
The sorting system,with a densimetric bath,truly amazes us and gives the wine an incomparable precision and purity. We acquired, on an experimental basis and for ageing, two terracotta Pino Parisi Tuscany jars, containing up to 500 litres, just like our Roman ancestors 2000 years ago.
Reviews
James Suckling
95-96
“This is insane. What incredible electricity to this wine! It just jolts you with incredible subtlety and length. Mineral, dark chocolate, dark berry and wet earth. From organically grown grapes. Best ever from here.”
James Suckling - Février 2018
96
“Mellow, deep-set plum and black cherry aromas here. Spicy oak is completely integrated with violets, slate and fresh, earthy notes. The palate has impressive, plush fruit flesh such as dark”
Bettane et Desseauve
94-95
“Belle densité et profondeur savoureuse pour un vin qui a beaucoup gagné ces dernières années en élégance de texture et qui confirme brillamment dans ce millésime.”
Jeff Leve
92-94
“With good color, the wine opens with black licorice, earth and dark chocolate-covered berries. Silky, elegant and supple with weight and density, the fruits are ripe, fresh and polished. With Jean-Luc Thunevin helping, this wine has really kicked it up another notch in just a few years!”
Tasted - Andreas LARSSON
94/100
“Bright dark purple core. Lovely purity and intensity of fruit with ripe dark cherry, cassis, some mineral/stony notes, discreet oak and wet tobacco. Very dense palate, harmonious and layered with powdery tannin, a bright freshness underneath the crunchy dark fruit, cassis and cherry notes with a mild spiciness, and a pure intense and very long finish. Very grippy and long with sweet fruit lingering on the palate.”
Bettane & Desseauve
17
“Conjonction d'un travail de grande exigence et d'un terroir idéalement situé sur le plateau de Saint Emilion La Marzelle 2015 entre parmi les grandes réussites d'une année qui n'en manque pas. Nez de caractère cacao, prune, violette, confiture de fruits noirs, densité crémeuse et charnue, grande longueur généreuse et raffinée”
Antonio Galloni
91-94
“The 2015 La Marzelle is, once again, remarkably vivid and delineated for such a big wine. Mocha, crushed rocks, graphite, incense and black cherry jam flesh out in a huge, vertical Saint-Émilion endowed with real class and personality. Even with all of its size, the 2015 emphasizes nuance and polish.”
Antonio Galloni 2018
93
“The 2015 La Marzelle is a sultry, sensual wine. Open, radiant and alluring, it captures all the natural radiance of the year in its exotic, flamboyant personality. Succulent red cherry, plum, new leather, spice and floral overtones gain resonance as this super-expressive Saint-Émilion gains volume with time in the glass. Tasted three times”
Yves Beck
92-93
“Robe rouge grenat. Bouquet fruité et épicé. Notes de mûres, cassis et fruits confits frais. Attaque suave et fruitée. Le palais présente un corps crémeux, dense et frais. Caractère fruité et racé. Les tannins sont élégants, légèrement granuleux et en symbiose avec la structure. Notes de chocolat en finale. Un vin élégant et séduisant! Bravo. 2020-2035”
Bernard Burtschy
16.5/20
“La robe est sombre et le nez est entre fruits noirs et épices. Le vin est dense, souple, de la sucrosité, de la fraîcheur aussi. Le domaine est passé en biodynamie et s’est inscrit pour la certification. 5-‐15 ans.”
Jeb DUNNUCK
93/100
“The 2015 Château La Marzelle checks in as a blend of 80% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and was described as their best vintage since they arrived by owners Jacqueline Sioen and Philippe Genevey. They'II get no argument from me and it's a ripe, concentrated effort that gives up tons of chocolatey dark fruits, licorice , wood smoke and damp earth. Full-bodied, opulent and expansive on the palate, it has a kiss of toasty oak, yet is beautifully balanced, has sweet tannin and a great finish.”
Gilbert & Gaillard
91-93
“Joli nez de fruits rouges et noirs confiturés. Belle trame de fruit en bouche qui dirige celle-ci avec beaucoup de souplesse, de tendreté. Le boisé accompagnant l’ensemble. Belle bouteille.”
FALSTAFF
91-93
“Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung, schokoladig unterlegte feine Herzkirschenfrucht, feine Kräuterwürze, einladendes Bukett. Saftig, elegante Textur, angenehme Extraktsüße, solide Tannine, die dem Wein Länge geben, gutes Entwicklungspotenzial.”
Markus Del Monego
92
“Dark purple red with violet hue and black core. Opulent nose with very concentrated and ripe fruit, on the palate well balanced character with full-bodied character.”
Jancis Robinson
16.5/20
“Lively and meaty on the nose with drive. Sweet and rewarding but without exaggeration. A hint of mint on the end. 2026-2040.”
Jean-Marc Quarin/Primeur
16.25/20 et 91
“Je suis heureux d'apprendre que ce cru se lance avec enthousiasme dans la biodynamie. Il pourrait y gagner en éclat et en définition. Pour l'instant, le vin caresse, fond dans la bouche et offre du goût, du corps, des tannins fins et une belle longueur séveuse et même parfumée. Voilà qui est rare pour le lieu. Bonne longueur.”
Christer Byklum
90-92
“2015 Château la Marzelle. Deep ruby. Dark fruits, vanilla, spices but also floral notes and minerals nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, red fruits, minerals, long”
Terre des Vins 2
17/20
“« Une des surprises de ce millésime. Belle trame élégante à l’acidité mesurée, qui vient soutenir une jolie concentration. Des tanins enrobés, une matière vibrante et élancée, une finale fraîche, longue et saline trahissant un terroir de classe. Beaucoup de distinction. »”
René Gabriel
17/20
“Dégustation Primeur 2015 La Marzelle: Extrem dunkles Purpur mit lila und violetten Reflexen. Offenes Bouquet, sehr schwarzbeerig, Darjeelingnoten im zweiten Ansatz zeigend. Im Gaumen fein, aber auch konzentriert, endet mit einem verschwenderischen Holundertouch. Sehr, sehr gut gelungen. 2022 – 2038.”
Robert Gorjak
91
“Primeurs 2015”
Terre des Vins
COUP DE COEUR
“Mathieu Doumenge. Château La Marzelle 2015 (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé). Une fois encore j'aurais pu vous parler des "stars" du jour, dont la plupart tiennent leur rang sur ce très beau millésime (je pense notamment au très beau Château Canon, nous en reparlerons). Mais si l'on veut donner la primeur aux outsiders, tirons un coup de chapeau au Château La Marzelle, propriété de Jacqueline Sioen orientée vers le bio et la biodynamie. L'expression pure d'un très beau terroir, sur la Haute Terrasse de Saint-Emilion. Beaucoup de distinction, une matière charnue, concentrée mais sans exubérance, portée par une belle acidité. Les Tanins sont enrobés, la finale est fraîche...ce sera un des beaux rapports qualité-prix du millésime.”
Christer BYKLUM
91
“Ruby. Scented, fruity, anise, floral, minerals, detailed nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fresh, fruity, anise, detailed, liquorice and spices, long. 91”
Panos Kakaviatos
92
“This is “straighforward” fun! I rather like its chocolate aspects with fruit but not drying or heavy, even if nearly 100% new oak. The wine is smooth and ripe, with a long finish. Quite delicious!”
Wine Advocate
92
“The 2015 la Marzelle is deep garnet-purple in color with gorgeous crushed blackberries and black cherries on the nose plus cedar chest, Chinese five spice and chocolate box nuances. The medium to full-bodied palate has great concentration and lovely ripe, plush tannins with seamless freshness and good length.”
JM QUARIN
16.25
La Revue du Vin de France
16
“Le style contemporain du cru s'exprime à plein dans ce vin concentré et capiteux, sphérique, suave et flatteur, déjà très savoureux.”
Patrick Dussert-Gerber
“Le 2015, est un beau vin charnu , épicé, de bouche soyeuse, riche et corsée , un vin concentré, avec une jolie finale légèrement poivrée, de belle évolution.”
