Château Prieuré-Lichine 2022

The freshness and silky feel of a Margaux red wine

The estate

Château Prieuré-Lichine, 4th Grand Cru Classé in 1855, presents all the characteristics of the superb Margaux appellation, located on the Left Bank of the Bordeaux region.

Château du Prieuré de Cantenac became Château Prieuré-Lichine when it was bought by the charismatic Alexis Lichine, the "Pope of Wine" in 1951. After his death in 1989, his son Sacha took over the reins of the estate until 1999, when the property became part of the Ballande group.

The philosophy of Château Prieuré-Lichine is focused on excellence in the production of great wines that reveal the full expression and diversity of the great terroirs of the Margaux appellation.

The vineyard

This Château Prieuré-Lichine 2022 is a Margaux wine from a 77.5-hectare vineyard. Planted on Garonne gravel, typical of the Margaux appellation, the vines are on average 30 years old and benefit from an exceptional terroir.

The vintage

A relatively mild and dry winter advanced an even budburst of the vines at the end of March before an episode of frost at the beginning of April which did not significantly impact the vineyard. The spring was mild with early flowering. Four heat waves were recorded between mid-June and August. Despite these extreme conditions, the vines resisted the water deficit by producing concentrated, balanced grapes with thick skins. The vineyard is in perfect health and the harvest is spread over 3 weeks to ensure that each plot is harvested at optimum ripeness.

Winemaking and ageing

Harvest in crates. Vibrating sorting table. Manual and optical sorting. No crushing. Gravity vatting. Vatting time of 28-30 days. Increase in degrees to balance the phenolic maturity. The wine was aged in barrels, 40% of which were new and 60% one-wine barrels.

Blend

Cabernet Sauvignon (65%)
Merlot (30%)
Petit Verdot (5%).

Characteristics and tasting tips for Château Prieuré-Lichine 2022

Despite low yields, the grapes reveal silky tannins and a refreshing vivacity that combine harmoniously with a beautiful roundness and a velvety feel.