Château Ripeau 2022

The smoothness and freshness of a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé

The estate

A Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé since 1955, Château Ripeau traces its origins back to the 13th century. The estate subsequently passed through the hands of several owners, notably in 1874 the Bühler brothers, landscape architects renowned for having created over a hundred gardens and parks, including the Parc Bordelais. In 1917, Marcel Loubat, brother of Edmonde de Wilde, then owner of Pétrus, gave the estate its letters of nobility. The Grégoire family acquired the estate in 2015 and carried out major renovation work on the vineyards and infrastructure.

The vineyard

Château Ripeau is a Saint-Émilion wine made from a single 15.8-hectare vineyard situated on a high point of the appellation's north-western plateau. With an average age of 35, the vines are planted on a terroir composed of slightly gravelly sand on the surface and clay-iron veins in the subsoil.

The vintage

A mild, dry winter led to early budburst. There were a few frosts in the spring, but the impact on the vines was negligible. Spring proved to be mild and wet overall. Flowering was rapid and under ideal conditions. The clay soils were ideal for retaining moisture, so the vines did not suffer from the drought of the summer.

Winemaking and ageing

Hand-picked in perforated crates. Alcoholic fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats with inverted truncated cones at low temperature. Malolactic fermentation took place in barrels (100% new), as did ageing. The origin, volume and toasting of the barrels varied from batch to batch.

Blend

Merlot (65%)
Cabernet Franc (30%)
Cabernet Sauvignon (5%)

Characteristics and tasting tips for Château Ripeau 2022

Tasting

The palate is well-balanced, smooth and creamy. With its wonderful vivacity, this 2022 vintage has great ageing potential.