Do you ever wonder what wine like 2015 Château Prieuré Lichine might have tasted like when medieval monks made it for the very first time?
Why monks, and what do they have to do with it, you might ask?
After the Dark Ages, monks lead the restoration of the winemaking tradition to Roman times’ glory. Château Prieuré was founded in the 12th century by monks from Vertheuil Abbey, the prieuré (or “priory”) of Cantenac, and belonged to the Church until the French Revolution. Château Prieuré wine was well-respected from the very beginning, according to the historical documents.
Why did monks got involved with winemaking? The wine was an essential part of the religious services, and, obviously, one can’t serve God without good wine. So monks had no choice but to restore winemaking all over Europe.
Since 1951 Château Prieuré-Lichine’s fate was linked to that of the Lichine family. Alexis Lichine, called “the Pope of Wine,” took over the estate and added his name two years later. Alexis added new vineyard plots, modernized the cellars, and renovated the monks’ former living quarters.
Now owned by the Ballande group, the Château has entered a new phase of its history with the addition of eight hectares of vines in 2012 and a brand new cellar.
An innovative approach to managing diversified and sparsed vineyards throughout the region enabled Prieuré-Lichine to express the full complexity of its terroir.
So how does the terroir expressed itself in the 2015 vintage?
2015 Château Prieuré Lichine Grand Cru Classe Margaux
In the Bottle
2015 Château Prieuré Lichine is a blend of 55 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 40 % Merlot, 5 % Petit Verdot. The new wine was aged for 18 months in 50% new oak barrels.
2015 was among the best on record for Bordeaux, particularly for the Margaux area – home of the region’s most Grand Crus. In the words of the winemaker: “2015 will go down in the history of Prieuré Lichine’s vintages as one of extreme refinement… the end of season weather helped make it a stand-out vintage…Most definitely an excellent vintage for Margaux and for Prieuré-Lichine.”
In the Glass of 2015 Château Prieuré Lichine
The vintage’s ripeness was apparent from the wine’s deep ruby color and how the intense aroma filled the room upon decanting.
All the classic aromas were there: cassis and cherry liquor, black currant and black cherry, along with leather, tobacco, and earthy notes.
The ripe fruit manifested in the flavors of black plums, currant, and cherry with a touch of dark chocolate.
The aftertaste was long and driven by dark berries.
Finish
We tasted many 2015 Bordeauxs, and most still more time in the bottle to evolve. While 2015 Château Prieuré Lichine most definitely will turn into more complex wine, it’s ready to be enjoyed now.
It’s lively, refreshing, and energetic. We enjoyed all that energy, along with the excellent balance of all of its elements. It’s like an athlete on the way to greatness and already performing on the elite tier level.
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