Château Sanctus - The Charity of Château Sanctus 2016
Located in Saint Émilion, Château Sanctus produces vineyard-inspired wines where Merlot from the sands and clay-limestone soils meets Cabernet Franc from the hillsides. Careful cultivation, hand-picking, and rigorous sorting ensure precise ripeness and a classic expression of the Right Bank. La Bienfaisance du Château Sanctus is the estate's most accessible cuvée, designed to deliver the house style in an immediately charming interpretation.
The 2016 vintage, long and consistent, offered perfectly ripe fruit and silky tannins. The grapes are destemmed and then vinified in stainless steel and concrete vats at controlled temperatures, with measured extractions to favor the fruit. Aging lasts approximately twelve to fourteen months in French barrels with a low proportion of new wood to refine the grain without marking the profile. Bottled at the château after resting in vats to harmonize the whole. Dry wine.
The nose opens with blackberry, blackcurrant, and black cherry, joined by violet, blond tobacco, and a touch of graphite. The palate is full-bodied and velvety, with a supple attack that slides toward a heart of juicy black fruits, plum, and sweet licorice. The tannic structure is fine and perfectly coated, with freshness extending the mid-palate. The finish, clean and persistent, summons cocoa, cedar, and a hint of bitter orange that signifies the balance of the vintage.
At the table, choose a matured prime rib, a roast rack of lamb, a duck with mild spices, or a filet mignon with mushrooms. Pair well with a mature Comté or a farmhouse Saint Nectaire. Serve between 16 and 18°C in a wide glass. Open one hour before serving or decant for thirty minutes to loosen the bouquet. Ideal tasting window is now to the next decade, depending on the winery.
Grape varieties: 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc
