Chateau Beynat, Cotes de Bordeaux Castillon 2023

Chateau Beynat had been in the Borliachon family for four generations when Alain Tourenne bought it in 2008. In doing so he realised his childhood dream, following in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather who were vignerons before him.

Driven by a desire to get the most out of his terroir, he converted the domaine to organic viticulture right away, obtaining certification in 2011, and went a step further in 2015 by adopting biodynamic practices. The reds are all destemmed and go through three successive sorting stations to keep only perfectly ripe and healthy grapes, no crushing, wild yeast fermentation takes place in cement tanks, sulphur is used with parsimony and in some cases not at all, ageing lasts 12 to 18 months depending on the cuvée.

This wine comes from 25yo vines in the west of the appellation on the south facing limestone-clay hillsides of St-Magne-de- Castillon. Organically certified and vinified with indigenous yeasts, this wine has been aged in cement for 15 months and has a clear, attractive not over extracted mid-red colour. The nose is clearly printed by saline notes from limestone, and the palate offers a delicious raspberry fruit, with a little spice and hint of cinnamon.