Château Barreyre Bordeaux Supérieur 2019

Bordeaux was blessed with ideal weather in 2019. Moreover, the 2019 Bordeaux vintage has been universally heralded as the greatest Bordeaux vintage in modern history, which is no hyperbole. In 2019, Bordeaux wines are truly magnificent from top to bottom. The 2019 Château Barreyre Bordeaux Supérieur (90 Points – Wine Enthusiast) is no exception; it shines as the château’s finest wine to date. Deeply colored, rich, ripe, and loaded with mouth-filling flavors, the 2019 Château Barreyre – a blend of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc – sings from the glass from the moment it is poured. Savory scents of blackberry, currant, dark chocolate, and Bordeaux’s classic cedar and cigar box tones greet the nose. There’s no let down in the mouth, either, as the wine’s haunting aromatics reappear to delight the palate. Wild berries, chocolate, and forest floor tones emerge on a bed of smooth textured tannins. Yet, one hardly notices the power this wine packs as it is beautifully balanced with all of its components seamlessly integrated. Bold but not brash, the 2019 Château Barreyre is a joy to drink now, though it will undoubtedly continue to improve in bottle for several more years. For optimal enjoyment, we suggest enjoying the 2019 Château Barreyre Bordeaux Supérieur at cool room temperature (58°-62° F) from the moment it is poured. It will open slowly in the glass and continue to reveal its many charms and subtle complexity for hours. Don’t rush and you will catch all that this fine Bordeaux wine has to offer. Anticipated maturity: 2023-2028. Enjoy!

The 2019 Château Barreyre Bordeaux Supérieur provides the ideal companion to the gastronomic pleasures of the table. However, one doesn’t have to be Cordon Bleu trained or spend hours in the kitchen preparing an elaborate meal to enjoy this wine. The ultimate glory of this fine red Bordeaux is how it graces the table and elevates both simple and sophisticated meals to another level. Loin lamb chops; prime rib of beef; a marbled ribeye steak; whole roasted chickens with a savory sage stuffing; and tender veal chops, grilled slowly to perfection and topped with a mushroom or fruit reduction sauce make splendid partners to the 2019 Château Barreyre. Duck Breast provides another perennial pairing. However, a midweek meatloaf, crock pot stew, or almost any meat and potato meal will provide good companionship, too. Creamy, flavorful cow’s milk cheeses pair beautifully with this wine, also. Most importantly, the 2019 Château Barreyre Bordeaux Supérieur is equally comfortable at an elegant dinner party as it is at the kitchen table. Bring on the glasses, fetch the corkscrew, and enjoy!

Château Barreyre is evidence of just how fine many of Bordeaux’s lesser known estates called petits châteaux can be. It is, also, ample testimony to the greatness of the 2019 vintage in Bordeaux as well as the consummate skill of winemaker Claude Gaudin. A twenty-two-acre property with a view of the Gironde and the nearby port of Macau, Château Barreyre actually lies within the Médoc. In fact, it lies quite close to Margaux. Yet, on account of its proximity to the river, Château Barreyre is only entitled to the appellation Bordeaux Supérieur – a boon to savvy consumers looking for bona fide Bordeaux that won’t break the bank.

Château Barreyre is an historic property with an authentic 18th century château. The château was constructed in 1774 by Nicolas Barreyre, but the cultivation of the vine on the property dates back much further. The Barreyre family is a prominent Bordelais family of bourgeois origin, which may explain why the estate weathered the French Revolution and the château remained within the family.

The viticultural excellence at Château Barreyre continues to be guided by winemaker Claude Gaudin. Under Gaudin’s watchful eye, Château Barreyre has enjoyed tremendous success, with the 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, and 2019 vintages yielding exceptional wines. The vineyard practices a very close plantation of its vines and extracts extremely low yields. In fact, its yield per hectare is considerably less than that of many of Bordeaux’s classified growths, which cost three or four times the price. These factors contribute greatly to the quality of wine produced at Château Barreyre. Always a full-bodied wine, Château Barreyre is a cépage or blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and in some vintages a bit of Petit Verdot, which is similar to that of several nearby Margaux properties, and it’s a cépage that allows the wine to age beautifully for up to a decade.