Vintages

Vintage Information Sheet

Château LA POINTE 2019

General Information
Weather conditions
Tasting comment
When to taste ?

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Château
La Pointe

Ballade
de La Pointe

Ballade de La Pointe

Château La Pointe

General Information

Château La Pointe

Vintage : 2019

Production : 64 000 bottles

Merlot 76 % – Cabernet Franc 24 %

Alcohol content : 14.5°

Appellation : Pomerol. Area : Right Bank. Region : Bordeaux.

Vineyard and soil type: 23 hectares on small gravel and pebble soils of the Isle river terrace, clayey-gravel and sandy soils over clay or gravel sub-soils.

Vinification and ageing: traditional Bordeaux methods.

Distribution : through wine merchants of the Place de Bordeaux.

Owner : SCE Château La Pointe.

General Manager : Eric Monneret. Vine and Wine Consultant : Hubert de Boüard de Laforest.

Member of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux.

Weather conditions

Another year when contrasting weather announces a great vintage :

2019 began with a drier winter and a cooler spring than recent years. More importantly, we had a real summer which was hot and particularly dry. There were a few days of extremely high temperatures at the end of July, reaching a peak of 41°C. Some welcome light showers quenched the thirst of our vine plants and reminded us that the Aquitaine vineyards benefit from a temperate climate thanks to the proximity of the ocean.

As harvest-time approached, we feared a drought that could have disturbed the balance in our wines. Luckily the September rainfall (especially the 11mm of 10th and 23mm of 22nd) prevented any hindering of the maturation process. This boosted the vines’ energy, maintaining a reasonable level of alcohol, ensuring elegance in the tannic structure and allowing us to achieve the balance and harmony offered by the best Bordeaux wines.

Some plots of younger vines, whose lesser developed root system meant they were less resistant to drought, were harvested from 16th September. We went on to harvest the main Merlot plots during the last week of September. The picking finished on 3rd and 4th October with the Cabernet Francs. The harvest took place in slightly damp weather conditions but there were no signs of botrytis. The grapes were healthy with thick skins and ripe pips.

The vinification of these quality grapes was to reveal an aromatic wine boasting an intense colour. The round, supple palate offered a promising cocktail of ripe fruit, excellent tension and a pleasant freshness that is the mark of the greater vintages.

Tasting comment

“ The colour is dense, intense and brilliant with crimson tints. Aromatically, this wine offers a wonderful bouquet of ripe fruit ; blackberry, bigarreau cherry and toasty, spicy notes. The tannins are unctuous, spherical, elegant and refined. There is an excellent tension on the finish, highlighting the lovely sappy character of this vintage.”

(March 2020, Primeurs tasting comment by Hubert de Boüard de Laforest)

When to taste ?

To drink or to keep?

The 2019 vintage is an exceptional one.

To be enjoyed 6 years from now and up to 20 years old or more.

The aromatic freshness, balance and suppleness of this Merlot-dominant Pomerol will suit lovers of young wine. In its early years it will offer floral notes, a tasty, juicy touch of red and black berries and slightly spicy toasty flavours.

The ageing potential of this vintage will also suit connoisseurs who have the patience to wait for the Grands Crus de Bordeaux to develop aromas of truffle, forest floor, game, Russian leather or light tobacco.

To air, decant or just enjoy?

Airing : when the vintage is young (under 10 years old ) it is recommended to decant one hour before serving so that there is a good contact with air. This oxygenation allows the wine to ‘open up’, freeing the aromas and softening the tannins.

Decanting : when the vintage is old (over 10 years old ) a natural deposit may form in the bottom of the bottle. The wine lover often asks for the wine to be poured delicately into the decanter so as to leave the deposit in the bottle. Decanting a very old wine (over 20 years) can, however, be a mistake as a sudden contact with air may deteriorate a wine that has become fragile with age.

Just enjoying: another approach is to avoid the ritualization around tasting, you simply choose a vintage, open the bottle, pour delicately and take your time to enjoy. Allow the wine to tell you its own story as it evolves in the glass over the evening…