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历史
In 1650 Château Pouget belonged to Etienne Monteil. His granddaughter, Thérèse Dorlhaic, made François-Antoine Pouget her sole heir in 1748. A Bourgeois of Bordeaux and “Counsellor to the King”, François-Antoine Pouget gave his name to the estate. He had a daughter, Claire, who in 1771 married Pierre-Antoine de Chavaille, Lord of Le Parc (a parish of Mérignac), lawyer and General Secretary of the City of Bordeaux. Over one and a half century, the Pouget de Chavailles family was in charge of Chateau Pouget. They had sometimes to face difficulties, as they were persecuted by the French Revolution, which took their properties, and met also great success, as Chateau Pouget was classified as fourth Cru Class in 1855. Since 1906, the Guillemet family has been owners and has devoted all their efforts to enhancing this Cru Classé.1906, the Elie-Guillemet took over Chateau Pouget, Lucien Guillemet became the Oenologist/Director. From 1930s, the Guillemet Family purchased another third growth chateau, which is Chateau Boyd-Cantenac, in the opposite side of Chateau Pouget. Both of the two estates were making and fermenting the wine in the same place until 1982. From 1983 on, Chateau Pouget has its own winemaking base. Lucien, at the helm of this estate since 1996, was born of the 5th generation of Guillemets at the head of this estate. This man enjoyed a long and fruitful experience before returning to the property – he was successively Head of Estates at a big trading house, then Estate Manager of Giscours. And in 2006 Lucien Guillemet celebrated the centenary of the day his family acquired Pouget. Unique among these crus, two marble medaillons on the frontage of the house remind the different classifications of Chateau Pouget. The chateau itself used to be a cellar, and its front part was turned into a house during the second half of the 19th Century. If the « French Paradox » is a recent media discovery, the virtues of the wine from Chateau Pouget were in a certain way officially recognized by the Duke Marshal of Richelieu who, in the 18th century, endowed it with its coat of arms and quatrain:
Lore upon your heart will spread its might,
Your call will be as clear as the rooster's trill,
Equal to the lion you won't fear the fight,
It of this sweet nectar you drink your fill.Pouget is marketed through two dealers who distribute it continuously. One of them distributes it in France (a point too rarely mentioned), the other in Northern Europe, mainly to the Benelux countries and Denmark. These customers are not particularly interested in gold medals and ratings. Apart from the slight differences that are bound to occur from year to year, they just want their favorite wine to be consistent, to exhibit the same qualities they liked at first taste and will always like, as long as they remain more or less in evidence.
Nowadays Owner: Lucien Guillemet
Technique Information
Location: Chateau Pouget is located in the commune of Cantenac and the appellation of Margaux, and Chateau Boyd-Cantenac is in the opposite of it.
Appellation: Appellation Margaux Controlee
Neighboring Chateau: Chateau Boyd-Cantenac(3rd Growth of Margaux in1855)
Acreage: 17 ha (42 acres)
Soil: Sandy gravels deposited during the Quarternary era, with excellent natural drainage.
Grape Varieties: 60 %Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 %Merlot, 10%Cabernet Franc.
Average age of vines: 37 years
Cultivation Density: 10,000 plants/ha (4,000 plants/acre).
Viticulture:Traditional medocan pruning. Sanitary protection uses biological antagonisms and considers the natural balances. No chemical fertiliser for over 30 years. The grapes are picked by hand.
Winemaking: Stainless steel tanks, controlled temperatures. The maceration time lenght varies from 2 to 5 weeks, according to the vintage characteristics. 12 to 18 months in oak casks, of which 30 to 50% is new wood.
Brand: Chateau Pouget(First Label)(A.O.C. Margaux)
Chateau La Tour Massac(Second Label)(A.O.C. Margaux)
Annually Production: 50,000 bottles
Character:
Château Pouget(First Label): The recent vintages are dark and dense, with complex aromas of fruit and spices. After some years in bottle, comes the bouquet of advanced aromas, to enhance the pleasure of the tasting. In the mouth, the entry often straightforward. Then comes a mouth filling volume, and at the end, the ripe tannins assure excellent aging capability. The general balance is always elegant, more aromatic than powerful, characteristic of the traditional Margaux wines.
Best Vintages: Château Pouget(First Label): 2005, 2000
Awards: 4th Grand Cru Classe in 1855 Margaux
Website: http://www.chateau-pouget.com
Serving Suggestion
Cellar Humidity and Temperature: The higher the temperature, the faster the evolution. The ideal temperature is in the 8-14 °C range. Yet it can be lower, but not below 0°C, or higher, but not above 19-20 °C, and without daily variations. Seasonal ones are OK. Humidity around 70-95 % is fine.
Serving Temperature: 16-19 °C. Below, the aromas show a low intensity and the acidic + astringent feelings are too pronounced. Above, the alcohol dominates too much.
Optimum Drinking: We generally decide that they begin to be approachable four to five after the picking. When they're younger, the aromas are not as meshed and the astringency shows some angles. On the contrary when they're older the aromas are enhanced, more elegant and complex, and on the palate they're smoother as the tannins softer.
Ageing Potential: All of them are designed to last and improve for some decades. They will improve with time.1999 for example begins to be excellent and perfectly drinkable. 2000 will need more time to get to its peak, as it's gutsier. They all can last easily for 40 years. Just consider the vintages of the 60s, that all still exist; the more recent wine will last longer, as the bottling processes have been dramatically improved.
Food Match:
Western Food:
As a general rule, these rich reds go well with proteins and fat, but can match with many other foods, provided they're not too spicy. Grilled aromas are especially fine. We can cite grilled or fried vegetables, but steamed ones are fine also. Fish is fine, provided it's not prepared with white wine, lemon, and shows delicate aromas. For example mackerel with white wine is just terrible, but grilled fish or fish in a red wine sauce is quite good (lamproie a la bordelaise is excellent). The bordelaise sauce is basically chalots saute in a bit of oil or butter and reduced red wine. Any type of meat is fine, especially red meat, roasted, grilled or broiled... Cheeses are fine also, except strong goat ones, old stinky soft ones (Camemberts, Munster etc.) and Roquefort. All dished prepared with cheese are an excellent match.
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