Chateau Soutard

Chateau Soutard has a 18^th century chateau, located on St-Emilion’s limestone plateau, which has prided itself with traditional viticulture and winemaking style.

Its first history was mentioned, as Le Mayne de Soutard, as early as 1513. Jean Coutures, a St-Emilion bourgeois, bought the estate in 1699, with his daughter Marie responsible for building the chateau.

Later, the Ligneris family nurtured the property until 2006, when it was bought by La Mondiale insurance company, the same insurance group that owns Chateau Larmande, a brand new winery has been built and the vineyards overhauled.

I have recently tasted the 2008 vintage and below is my tasting note:

Appearance

Bright and clear, it has deep ruby color, with legs.

Nose

Clean, with medium intensity aromas of black fruit of blackberry, plum and dark cherries, oak notes of cedar, kernel notes of toasted almond, sweet spice of cloves, pungent spice of licorice, some maturity notes of wet earth. The wine is developing.

Palate

Dry with medium acidity, the wine has medium tannin, soft and integrated, with medium alcohol and medium (-) body, showing medium (-) intensity flavors of black fruit such as dark cherries and plum, pungent spice of licorice. The wine has a short finish.

Conclusion

Acceptable quality St-Emilion, with a nose that is reasonably concentrated and complex, however, the palate is surprisingly light and there is not much intensity on the flavors, also quite simple. The wine has a short finish and it is ready to drink now and not intend for further ageing.