Profile: Château de Saint Amour

30.8.2017billn

Tasted in St.Amour with Pierre Siraudin, his metayeur André Berrod and Romain Teyteau (not in the picture, of Duboeuf), 13 July 2017.

Château de Saint Amour
les Guillons
71570 Saint-Amour-Bellevue

It was the Georges Duboeuf labelled wine that I found so good – but there is a real domaine behind the the label too – selling a proportion of their wine to Duboeuf. Real domaine or not – there seems zero information about the domaine on the internet, so…

Like many properties in Bordeaux, the stylised Chateau on the label, bears only a resemblance in outline to the real thing. Call it shabby chic, but this charming house, set in the climat of Guillons, is surrounded by beautiful gardens, with horses and a pond with vines on the hillside behind the château. The owner is Pierre Siraudin – in his 80s – with some help from his son Florent. They own 6.60 hectares worked by metayeur André Berrod who has a domaine in Fleurie with his son Florent – it’s André who also makes the wine – and very fine wine it is.

Pierre says that he started at the domaine in 1951, but that it’s a very old domaine that’s been in the family since the revolution. Concrete tanks and two Vaslin presses sit above the enviable, vaulted barrel cellar – though barrels are no-longer used in elevage – this is more of a meeting place today. Work is raisonnée in the vines ‘Despite that in some years can be easy or it can be impossible.‘ All is vinified here, ‘About half has been going to Duboeuf for 40 years‘ and whilst there’s no commercialisation from the house. there are sales of wine to multiple countries and around France in salons.

They triage mainly on reception of the fruit, on a table with some destemming – up to 60% whole clusters are used in the bottom of the tank. Single grapes go on top ‘which is helpful for the pigeage‘ – also some remontage is done. ‘With good clean grapes the cuvaison can be 14-15 days, it simply depends on the cleanliness of the vintage and also how nicely ripe – or not – the stems are.‘ ‘Do make your St.Amour for saving or for drinking’ In asked ‘I would say for semi-garde – we have good plots and good grapes and that is something to save. We are quite high in St.Amour so we need a little more time and patience to get full maturity. Elevage here lasts until summer or autumn – our 2016 s are not yet bottled for instance – but usually we bottle before the next vintage. But it’s a good question; why look after the vines for a whole year and then rush bottling.

The wines…

The Duboeuf version of this wine is first class, but you can also seek out this domaine too – maybe that will be more of a challenge – but it will be worth it!

2016 St.Amour
Not yet bottled.
A bright and fresh nose, faintly perfumed. Good energy and freshness, – nicely intense in the finish.

2015 St.Amour
A depth of aroma, very faintly spiced. Volume, freshness, beautiful texture, a growing intensity of fine flavour. Another large wave of finishing flavour. Very tasty indeed. Yum! There is very fine character here.

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