2021 Château La Marzelle
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé
“Un créateur d'émotions”
95-96
Bettane & Dessauve - PRIMEUR The origin
- Vineyard
- 14.95 hectares d’un seul tenant
- Grape varieties
- 75% Merlot - 17% Cabernet franc - 8% Cabernet sauvignon
- Density
- 5 700 à 7150 vines/ha
- Âge moyen
- 30 years
- Production
- 35 000 bottles
- Situation
- Upper terrace of Saint-Emilion formbed by the former Isle riverbed
- Pruning
- Bordelaise method (2 canes per vine)
- Alcohol
- 13%
2021 began with a milder winter with significantly more water than average, in line with 2020. These climatic conditions led to a homogeneous, regular and early budburst.
The month of April was marked by a succession of nights fighting against frost, a fight that was more or less successful depending on the sector.
But after a very cold spring, dry until the end of April and then rainy in May, this advance in the cycle was no longer the case. Flowering began on the 25th of may and took place
in very good, warm and dry weather conditions. The stormy instability between mid-June and mid-July imposed a mildew pressure that we hoped not to see again so quickly, and which lasted until the end of the veraison. However, four weeks of dry weather will follow, sufficient to generate qualitative water constraints.
Hope is there, and we must keep our nerves to reach, step by step, a satisfactory maturity. The harvest begins with the Merlots on September 30th and ends with the Cabernet- Sauvignons on October 13th.
This year, in particular, our latest generation sorting system, by densimetry and calibration, has worked wonders. Combined with a very precise management of the harvest by plot, made possible by the use of adequate containers, stainless steel tanks with double truncated walls but also 500 litre barrels and amphorae, these tools enabled us to meet our very demanding quality objectives. We were able to harvest a perfectly healthy crop and select only ripe grapes.
2021 echoes an era that made Bordeaux famous by producing a fresh, balanced and
Reviews
Bettane & Dessauve - PRIMEUR
95-96
“Un créateur d'émotions”
Tom Mullen
94
“Delicate floral and red fruit aromas that include wild strawberries and raspberries. A clear and light bodied mid palate rich with fruit. Still young. Mild tannins, brisk acidity. Complexity emerges after minutes in the glass—a deft and easy drinking wine to consider pairing with shish kebab or even sashimi.”
Terre de vins - PRIMEUR
93
“On devine une certaine concentration au nez, le fruit noir dense (confiture de myrtilles) se parant de notes d'encre de Chine. Marqué par une juste maturité, le fruit se déploie avec générosité, sur un profil gourmand, crémeux et velouté, et des tanins bien fondus. C'est un séducteur, qui est fidèle à sa promesse.”
James Suckling
92
“Plenty of creamy oak spices with a hint of dark earth, stems and chocolate to the black cherries and damson. Juicy, medium- to full-bodied on the palate with creamy, fine-grained tannins and a lengthy finish. Give it one or two mor years to let the oak resolve. Try from 2024”
Jancis Robinson - PRIMEUR
16,5
“Cask sample. Rounded appealing nose, dark sweet fruits. The palate is soft and layered, rich and opulent, with a plumpness sand sweetness too. Lovely fruit and a plush finish. Appealing soft style.”
Bernard Burtschy - PRIMEUR
93-94
“La robe est grenat sombre avec des arômes de mûre. Le vin est ample avec du volume grâce à un joli raisin mûr, petite dureté tannique en milieu de bouche qui sera gommée à l’élevage, belle finale de cassis noir.”
Jean-Marc Quarin - PRIMEUR
92
“Couleur noire et sombre. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité, proche d'un Pomerol. Bouche tout en délicatesse tactile et en richesse d'arômes, évoluant très fruitée, sur une stimulation ascendante, des nuances de fruits noirs et du gras dans la tenue. C'est long et très bon. Vin certifié bio Ecocert.”
Andreas Larsson
92
“Bright dark purple hue and core. Fragrant with wild berry notes, cassis, tobacco and fine oak underneath. Medium weight with fresh and supple fruit flavours, ripe tannin, balanced oak and a long finish.”
Tom Mullen (Forbes) PRIMEUR
92
“Organic since 2020, grapes from this 42-acre (17-hectare) site are hand harvested and this gravity fed juice produced a 80/15/5 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon. Grapes grow over a band of blue clay that is shared with Château Figeac and Château Cheval Blanc. Aged in new oak and also 20% in French and Italian clay amphorae. They lost almost 40% of fruit in 2021 due to frost. Aromas of rich red fruit, Dutch licorice, acorns and raspberries. In the mouth the tannins are sleek, the acidity bright and the red plum flavors and those of black fruits well balanced. This will evolve slowly over decades, releasing subtle flavors over time.”
Tamilyn Currin - Jancis Robinson
16
“Dark-fruited and spicy, vanilla-pod-scented roundness. Tarragon and chervil herbs. Liquorice root and elderberry. Restrained, composed and well-balanced ripeness. Finely gritty tannins.”
Alexandre Ma - PRIMEUR
91-93
James Suckling - PRIMEUR
91-92
“Blueberries and crushed stones with some fresh herbs and black cherries. Medium bodied with hints of sweet tobacco and wet earth. Fine-tannined finish.”
Markus Del Monego - PRIMEUR
92+
“"Dark purple colour with violet hue and black core. Aromatic nose combining fresh fruit with fine toasting, blackberries, sloe and elderberries, dark chocolate and hints of cold smoke. In the background aromatic herbs and floral hints. On the palate well structured with rather medium body yet convincing length, firm yet ripe tannins and juicy fruit."”
Alexandre Ma
91
“Château La Marzelle 2021 is a portrait of effortless control and harmonious balance, with its velvety tannins and warm mouthfeel offering a picture as beautiful as a ‘lotus rising out of water.’ This is the classic image presented by La Marzelle in 2021, making it one of the fancy wines of this vintage. Its soft body, a hallmark of its sandy soil, is highly distinctive. If only the tannins could be a bit more subdued in the finish, it would surely elevate even further.”
Colin Hay
91
“(St Emilion; 75% Merlot; 17% Cabernet Franc; 8% Cabernet Sauvignon; 13% alcohol; tasted in Paris and then at the Association des Grands Crus Classés de St Emilion’s tasting at Chateau Dassault; 13.5% alcohol). Tasted just after the Vignonble Jade wines, this is darker in the glass and more extracted. The oak, too, is rather more noticeable. Sandalwood, dark berry and stone fruit, a pleasing creaminess and sweet spices – a little vanilla, nutmeg and frangipane too. The natural sweetness to the fruit gives this a lift, especially in the context of a horizontal tasting of wines from the vintage in St Emilion. This builds nicely through the mid palate and we have depth, density, concentration and length without dryness in the tannins nor any aggressive acidity. A success that shows the ongoing progress being made here in recent vintages.”
Peter Moser Falstaff - PRIMEUR
91
“Deep ruby red, purple hues at the narrow rim. Fine toasty aromas, hints of nougat and black cherries, subtle notes of coconut and caramel. Juicy, red cherries, inte-grated tannins, taut finish; will need its time, a fresh food companion.”
Christer Byklum - PRIMEUR
90-92
“Ruby, blackberries, anise, spices, dark fruits nose, liquorice. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blackberries and liquorice, nuanced, long.”
The drink business Colin Hay - PRIMEUR
90-92
“La Marzelle (St Emilion; 75% Merlot; 17% Cabernet Franc; 8% Cabernet Sauvignon; 13% alcohol; tasted in Paris and then at the Association des Grands Crus Classés de St Emilion’s tasting at Chateau Dassault). Very dark and extracted for the vintage and reductive on the nose at first. Black cherry, liquorice and cassis with a hint of graphite. Impressively svelte tannins and a lovely gentle attack, this builds nicely through the mid palate and we have depth, density, concentration and length without dryness in the tannins nor any aggressive acidity. Quite a success, and confirmation of the steady progression here.”
Jeff Leve - PRIMEUR
90
“Silky, soft and supple, the wine is refined and loaded with ripe, sweet, polished, fresh, red fruits, licorice, cocoa and plums that are on display in the mid=palate though to the finish. Drink from 2023-2036.”
Yves Beck PRIMEUR
90-92
“75% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. Très invitant ce bouquet avec ses notes chocolatées suivies de nuances de baies noires mûres et de poivre de Sichuan. L'attaque, quant à elle, est plutôt timide, à l'image du palais. Il est d'expression modérée mais parfaitement équilibré et bien soutenu par sa structure ainsi que des tannins suaves, quoique légèrement asséchant en fin de bouche. L'élevage va certainement arrondir les angles.”
Ronald de Groot - PRIMEUR
4,5/5 *
“Geur: mooi fruit, kersen, munt, laurier, cassis Smaak: rijp, mooie zuren, puur, elegant, fijn”
Niklas Jörgensen - PRIMEUR
93
“75% merlot, 17% cabernet franc och resten cabernet sauvignon. Bläckmörk, mogen cassisdominerande frukt med björnbär och plommon i sällskap. Tobak, choklad och kaffeböner i cederrosten och läckert och elegant fästande tanniner med ett juicy fäste liksom citrusfärgade mineraler i basen. Hittar helt rätt i argangen och intas ungt ocvh kommande 12-15 aren.”
