Chateau Villa Bel-Air 2022

Drink it now or cellar for up to 15 years. It is recommended to decant it for half an hour. Located in the heart of the Graves appellation, atop a gentle gravel hill just outside the village of Saint-Morillon, Château Villa Bel-Air has a long winemaking tradition dating back to the 18th century. After a period of abandonment, in the late 1980s, the estate was acquired by Jean-Michel Cazes, who began a complete renovation. Since 2017, the estate has been owned by Armand Ballande's family, and under the guidance of Stéphane Derenoncourt's team of oenologists, the château has returned to popularity and success with its two wines. The estate's red wine is produced from a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes with minimal additions of Cabernet Franc. The grapes are sourced from the appellation's typical gravel soils. Here, the vines benefit from a microclimate particularly favorable for quality viticulture. After harvest, the vinification takes place traditionally, and the finished wine ages in oak barrels until the spring for 12-15 months. The result is a very elegant and fragrant wine that reveals ripe aromas of blackberry and small red fruits on the nose, followed by peppery and herbaceous hints and final touches of spice and licorice. On the palate, it is rich but not opulent, concentrated and juicy, with well-balanced acidity and smooth tannins. The finish is long and recalls notes of licorice. Try it with roast lamb served with mint sauce, or with magret de canard.