Wine Advisor
Soutard 2014
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The Château Soutard 2014 has a more odered bouquet than displayed in recent vintages: much more controlled and linear with blackberry, raspberry and cedar fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, fine acidity and plenty of freshness on the finish that has a long, minerally aftertaste. This is a more cerebral Soutard in the making–not powerful, but there is breeding here.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2014 Soutard seemed to have lost some of that breeding and control that I discerned out of barrel, the aromatics here not quite as detailed as its peers. The palate is better with fleshy red berry fruit laced with cedar and a pinch of spice. The acidity is nicely judged and the finish demonstrates the precision that I wish was there on the aromatics. Not a bad Soutard, but it could have been better.
About the Producer
Chateau Soutard is located in the Saint-Emilion appellation on the right bank of Bordeaux, France, and is one of the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classe. The vineyards of Château Soutar are located in the hinterland of the limestone plateau of Saint-Emilion and cover 30 hectares of limestone, clay and sandy soils. The vineyard is planted with 63% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Malbec, with an average vine age of 30 years and a planting density of 8,000 vines per hectare. Château Soutar continues the traditional viticultural techniques, respecting the natural terroir of the vineyards and not interfering too much with the vines. For example, the vines are pruned in advance, thus simplifying the Green Harvest process and avoiding additional stress on the vines. Once the grapes have ripened, they are hand-picked by the workers and taken to the chiller, where they are transported to the cellar the following day. In the cellar, the grapes are vibrated and de-stemmed to select the best quality grapes for the wine. The grapes are then placed in small containers and transported by rail to stainless steel tanks and oak barrels for a cold maceration of about 5 days and an alcoholic fermentation of about 10 days. Malolactic fermentation takes place partly in stainless steel tanks and the rest in oak barrels. The finished fermentation is aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, of which 60% are new. Finally, the wine is carefully blended by an oenological consultant to produce a wine with complex and attractive flavours. Typically, 70% of the wine is blended into the main label and the other 30% into the secondary label. The Chateau Soutard, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classe, France is the main wine of the estate. With aromas of black fruit, firm tannins and a rounded palate, this wine has been favoured by a host of wine critics and reviewers. For example, the 2018 vintage was awarded 93-95 points by the Robert Parker Team.
