Wine Portfolio : Bordeaux

Montagne Saint-Emilion

Château Puynormond

Philippe Lamarque is the co-owner with his father and is the vigneron of Chateau Puynormond, in the appellation of Montagne Saint-Emilion. This is a small family estate. The Lamarque family has owned the estate for 4 generations, having bought it shortly after WWI. It consists of 12 hectares (about 30 acres) on south-facing slopes of limestone-clay subsoil 5 km (3 miles) north of Saint-Emilion.

The wines have an intense bouquet, are round in the mouth with considerable fruit, have very balanced tannins, and linger with a long follow-through. They age very nicely after a fruitful youth. They first become quite spicy and peppery, then the mineral of the limestone evolves, and finally leathery aromas announce maturity. Yet, they drink very well young.

The estate produces two wines: The Chateau Puynormond and the Chateau Puynormond Selection. Both wines have the same cepages (90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc). However, they differ significantly in style.

Montagne-Saint-Emilion

After assemblage of the three cepages vinified seperately, they are aged 18 months in concrete vats and then bottled - no oak! You have the pure fruit of a Saint-Emilion. The production is 55 to 60 hectoliters per hectare.

Montagne-Saint-Emilion Selection

After assemblage of the three cepages vinified separately, they are aged 1 year in oak barrique barrels, 50% new oak and 50% one-year old oak (a Bordeaux barrique barrel holds 225 liters). The Selection also has the estate's vieilles vignes and the production is limited to 50 hectoliters per hectare. With the finesse of this cuvee, the oak does not dominate the fruit.