Château Croizet Bages 2016

The origin of the name Château Croizet-Bages goes back to the 17th century when the Croizet brothers, an emblematic dynasty of the Médoc landscape, founded this estate in the heart of the Pauillac appellation.

In 1855, Château Croizet-Bages was elevated to the rank of 5th Grand Cru Classé during the imperial classification. The quality of its wines made the estate stand out once again at the Universal Exhibitions of 1878 and 1889, as shown by the medals on the label.

Severely hit by the great diseases of the early 20th century and the successive bankruptcies of its owners, Château Croizet-Bages went through a difficult period until it was bought in 1942 by Mr Paul Quié. A wine merchant in Paris, this great wine enthusiast was able to glimpse the lost nobility of this Grand Cru Classé, whose vineyards cover 55 hectares. Paul Quié recreated, little by little, an exceptional terroir with parcels already planted with vines at the time of the imperial classification of 1855, even at the risk of reducing the surface area of his vineyard. Thus, at his death in 1968, the vineyard had 30 hectares refocused around the famous hamlet of Bages.

At Château Croizet-Bages, the 2016 vintage was marked by extreme weather conditions. There wasn't much of a spring and the weather was wet and cool until early summer. This then installs heat and drought on the vineyard, putting the young vines in a situation of water stress. On the contrary, the well-rooted vines reacted extremely well. The harvest took place perfectly under the sun, from September 23 to October 14.

On tasting, marked by both its power and its sweetness, with very ripe tannins. This balanced wine closely resembles the 2005 vintage of the property.