Château Marsau Francs Côtes de Bordeaux 2019

Château Marsau 2019 - Francs Côtes de Bordeaux, France

Elegant, refined and quietly impressive, Château Marsau has become one of the benchmark estates of Francs Côtes de Bordeaux, producing Merlot with remarkable purity and finesse. The 2019 opens with aromas of black cherry, plum and raspberry, layered with violet, liquorice, cocoa and a subtle smoky mineral note. The palate is medium-bodied and beautifully poised, with silky tannins, vibrant freshness and a core of ripe red and dark fruit. There’s an appealing chalky, saline edge to the finish that gives the wine lift and precision, making it feel more like a fine Right Bank Bordeaux than its modest appellation might suggest.

Made from 100% Merlot, Château Marsau is planted on clay-limestone soils just east of Saint-Émilion, where the combination of elevation and limestone bedrock gives the wines freshness, elegance and a distinctive mineral character. Rather than relying on heavy oak extraction, the emphasis is firmly on expressing the vineyard, resulting in a Bordeaux of remarkable balance, transparency and drinkability. The 2019 vintage is widely regarded as one of the estate’s finest releases to date.

Grape Variety: Merlot

Style: Red – Medium-bodied, elegant, mineral-driven Bordeaux

Drink Window: Now – 2035

Perfect For: Roast lamb, duck breast, mushroom dishes, grilled pork, mature cheeses

Critic Scores:

95 points - James Suckling
92 points - The Wine Cellar Insider

A superb example of why Bordeaux’s lesser-known appellations deserve attention- this is silky, beautifully balanced and offers outstanding value for lovers of refined Right Bank Merlot.