2013 Château Gracia

The wine is opaque purple, shows notes of blueberries, incense, camphor and black berry fruit, with licorice and charcoal notes. Complex aromatics are followed by a medium to full-bodied surprisingly concentrated and opulent wine with loads of fruit and stunning purity and length. This is a remarkable achievement in 2013. Drink it over the next 10-12 years. Michel Gracia’s brilliant wine is from his nearly five-acre parcel of vines in Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes. He is increasingly giving over control to his two talented daughters, Caroline and Marina. They seem to have the Midas touch just like their father, because this is one of the superstars of the vintage. Yields, down to 15 hectoliters per hectare in the final blend of 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, produced only 300 cases, but rather remarkably it achieved 14% natural alcohol, which is one of the highest in this vintage.