Château Hostens Picant 2000

At a stone's throw from the Saint-Emilion appellation, in that of Sainte-Foy-de-Bordeaux (to the west), this chateau has been producing wine since the end of the Hundred Year War. It has changed owner solely four times. The estate practices environmentally-friendly viticulture on a terroir of flint, gravel, clay and limestone, and the most widely grown grape is Merlot, king of the Right Bank. Mr Derenoncourt consults the château on the steps of viticulture and vinification.

This, the domaine’s flagship cuvée, undergoes the classic Bordeaux method of vinification in thermoregulated stainless steel vats. It is then raised in oak fûts (one third new) for a year. It has a garnet robe with an intense aromatic bouquet of fruit (blackberry, raspberry) and some spices (vanilla) from the raising. This is a confident wine with good tannic structure. The fresh finish gives it good ageing potential.