I was thrilled to be able to taste the 2021 Château Marjosse, which I don't often get to taste. Coming from the home estate of Pierre Lurton (now retired from Cheval Blanc), it has a beautiful nose of pure red and black fruits as well as spicy wood, tobacco, and a touch of flowers. Balanced, medium-bodied, and elegant, this beautiful 2021 will evolve for at least a decade.
The estate
Built in 1782, Chateau Marjosse is an estate located in the Entre-deux-Mers region, on the right bank of Bordeaux. First owned by the wine merchant Bernard Chénier, Chateau Marjosse was acquired by the Deleuze family, who rented some of the plots to Pierre Lurton in 1990. In 1992, Pierre Lurton, who grew up beside this beautiful Chartreuse-style country house in Chateau Reynier, moved into a second home at Chateau Marjosse and acquired several parts of the property from the Deleuze family over the years. In 2000, Pierre Lurton built a super-modern cellar that contains over 40 concrete vats and became the owner of the entire vineyard, along with the Chartreuse, in 2013.
The vineyard
Chateau Marjosse’s red wine is a Bordeaux wine that stems from a specific 35-hectare vineyard. The vines, aged between 26 and 75 years old, are located on exceptional clay-limestone soils.
The vintage
The frost during springtime preceded heavy rainfall in May and June. The cool weather throughout summer slowed down the ripening process and delayed the harvest by 17 days compared to 2020, giving this vintage a unique style that resonates with that of the 1990s. This vintage perfectly expresses the characteristics of each of the grape varieties that make up its blend. The liveliness and floral structure of the Merlot varietal from the estate’s clay-limestone soils are combined with the perfectly ripe Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.
