Château Le Puy
Bordeaux Unmasked: A Wine with Nothing To Hide
May 30, 2025
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“As with the best Bordeaux wines, those of Le Puy are marked by purity, precision, lightness, and drinkability that encourages taking another sip. They also have an intensity of flavor despite their grace, a combination more often associated with that other great region in the east of France." Eric Asimov, The New York Times
After decades of development, Château Le Puy stands in stark contrast to châteaux that favor an oak and muscle approach to appeal to critics and point-chasers’ tastes, choosing instead to showcase the fruit and employ natural techniques from vine to bottle to achieve the truest version of the wine and the land it comes from. The estate, situated on the same plateau with the same soils as Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, employs biodynamic farming practices (Certified Biodynamic), utilizing no chemical fertilizers or pesticides, natural indigenous yeasts, and avoiding added sulfites. Add the practice of harvesting by hand, using neutral cement vats for vinification, and bottling the wine unfiltered. The result is a wine of great purity, where it’s all about the fruit, and a wine with nothing to hide.
2022 Château Le Puy ‘Duc Des Nauves’
Jean-Pierre Amoreau and his son, Pascal, have successfully produced a true standout Bordeaux that emphasizes a fresh, lively, and light-on-its-feet wine. Yet the wine still retains the substance, complexity, and vigor you expect from a Bordeaux. The fantastic thing is that this wine is Chateau Le Puy’s second label. One would be hard-pressed to find a stellar wine that shows aromatic exuberance, a silky texture, and a harmonious palate, all while blending 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon in a seamless fashion at this price.
Aroma: Dark Plum, dark cherry, black raspberry, peppercorns, arugula, and a hint of mint. Mouth: Take a sip and your first reaction will be ‘That’s Bordeaux!’ in a good way, round fruit, medium body, fine tannins, smooth texture, balanced acidity, and a satisfying finish. Enjoy this with a seared, spice-rubbed duck breast, wild mushroom risotto, and roasted asparagus for a phenomenal comfort meal.
Very Good to Excellent $29.99, Case $25.49
2021 Château Le Puy ‘Emilien’
Château Le Puy’s top estate bottling has a more mature expression, as the grapes are initially crushed and fermented in cement vats. The wine is immediately transferred to large, neutral oak barrels for 24 months, which helps to give the wine more body and a lush, supple texture. The blend is composed of 85% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Malbec, and 1% Carmenère, sourced from the estate's finest vineyard sites. The final result is a wine that possesses the complexity of a bottle that has aged in the cellar, yet is accessible to drink now.
Aroma: Red berry fruit, red and black currants, thyme, white pepper, earthy mushrooms, and forest undergrowth. Mouth: It boasts a round, full, and delicate texture with velvety tannins and a long, pleasantly complex finish. Emilien is the perfect wine to accompany both family dishes and more sophisticated delicacies. Excellent $62, Case $53
You can mix any 12 or more of these wines at their case prices
Arrives in about two weeks (mid-June).
Richard Harmer
FREE DELIVERY!
downtown on orders more than $75;
in Greater Boston on orders more than $199
