Chateau Barraillots
Margaux 2020

Chateau Les Barraillots is a tiny, 7-hectare vineyard, established in 1928 by the Brunet family, which bought parcels of vineyards from Chateau Palmer in 1928 and Chateau Durfour in 1933. Brunet was originally a cooper who worked at Chateau Margaux and intended to make wine for his own consumption. His son took the lead in the 1950s to develop the business until Michel Brunet took over in 1963. Since 2002 Michel’s son Yannick has been in charge.

The winery is known as the last small independent wine producer in the area and one of the only few Crus Artisans in the Margaux appellation. Crus Artisans du Medoc is a classification of small wineries where the owner is actively involved in every aspect of wine production. Estates are selected for their size, quality and value in a process that is renewed every 5 years.

Barraillots is quite modest, indeed only in Bordeaux could the small stone outbuilding be called a chateau! But they have great vineyards planted on gravely hilltops at a very high density (10,000 vines per hectare). This density reduces yields and increases grape quality. The vines are too close to allow for anything but manual picking and pruning.

The 2020 is a fabulous vintage – classic and ageworthy, yet fairly approachable in its youth. The aromas are enchanting: perfumed, spicy and earthy, with juicy black currant and plum. The palate is still a little tight at the moment, though soft tannins and charming elegance gain depth as it opens in the glass. With only 12,000 bottles per year, this Margaux is a rare find. It pairs with herbed beef tenderloin, and it is more than impressive enough for special-occasion dining. The alcohol is 13.5%, and indication of how warm the vintage was.

Chateau Les Barraillots Margaux is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot bringing richness, perfume and complexity to the blend. After a manual harvest and sorting, fermentation is done in stainless steel followed by aging in barrels (20% to 25% new) for twelve months.

This is drinking well now, but I would cellar for another year before enjoying over the next 10.

Of some note, Yannick makes about 40 barrels of wine a year. In a tradition started by his grandfather, he sells about half his production to a Bordeaux negociant which bottles and sells the wine under a slightly different label. Yannick keeps the best barrels for himself and bottles under this, his own, label. The label is in Braille because he has a familial history of blindness.