94pts Jeb Dunnuck
Another killer Castillon in the vintage, the 2022 Château D'Aiguilhe is loaded with notions of black raspberries, ripe cherries, spicy oak, and chalky minerality. It tastes like a great Saint-Emilion and is medium to full-bodied, has fine tannins, and terrific overall balance.
94pts Decanter
Rich and intense nose, concentrated with dark bramble fruits. A shot of sharp intense strawberry and raspberry fruit hits the palate, super succulent and instantly mouthwatering, quite lean and linear though there is a nice expansion of fruit flavours while the tannins stay quite firm and straight. Touching on austere and severe but the softly plump juiciness keeps this enjoyable and there is layering of elements. Acidity is on the prominent side but this is quite captivating with crunchy, bright, just-ripe red fruits and chalky texture on the finish.
92pts James Suckling
Bright and tangy with chalk and salt to the sliced pears and melon. Medium body. Crisp and delicious.
Winemaker's Notes
Combining power and freshness, the wines of Château d’Aiguilhe succeed in expressing the terroir's strong personality, and show very well after 5 years in bottle.
Blend: 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc
History
Acquired by Stephan von Neipperg at the end of 1998, Château d’Aiguilhe is one of the most beautiful estates in the Castillon - Côtes de Bordeaux. The existing building, a sort of fortified farm, dates from the 13th century. Everything leads us to believe that the Aiguilhe seigneury covered a very large tract of land in the Middle Age, encompassing several important fiefs. Located on the border between French-controlled and English-controlled areas during the Hundred Years’ War, the Château played a major military role.
Today, the estates covers 111 hectares, of which 50 are devoted to winegrowing.
The vines (80% Merlot - 20% Cabernet Franc) grow uniquely on the upper part of the slope, where they find excellent natural drainage and south-facing sun exposure. The thin layer of relatively meagre clay-limestone and clay-silt soil covers a limestone substratum that provides wonderful water regulation. These natural advantages, combined with old vines, are conducive to producing powerful and mineral wines.
The estate is expertly managed by Jean-Patrick Meyrignac. It benefits from the tried and tested winegrowing methods used by Stephan von Neipperg at his Saint-Emilion estates: letting the terroir express itself fully, low yields and a very flexible approach to winemaking.
