Description
The 2004 vintage of Château Croizet Bages is a prestigious wine that ranks among the 18 Grands Crus Classés of the Pauillac appellation. In the blend, the Merlot is harvested relatively early to lend the wine a rounded character. With notes of candied cherry, it expresses all the purity of crisp, charming fruit. The Petit Verdot, present in minute quantities, lends the wine its vibrant colour. The backbone of this fine wine, the Cabernet Sauvignon, contributes a long-lasting aromatic power that will reveal itself after a few years of ageing. With notes of black fruit and cedar, the tannic structure reveals richness, fullness and generosity. Aged for 12 to 14 months in French oak barrels, the wines are refined and velvety in texture. Rich, deep and elegant, as time passes, Château Croizet-Bages opens up aromatic horizons of plum, cocoa, spices and leather.
In the vineyard, in the cellar
The 2004 Pauillac Croizet-Bages vintage in detail:
- Area under production: 27 hectares
- Production area: Bages Plateau in Pauillac
- Soils: Deep gravel, gravelly sand
- Average age of the vineyard: 35 years
- Planting density: 8,500 vines per hectare
- Average yield: 45 hectolitres per hectare
- Grape varieties: 58% Cabernet Sauvignon – 39% Merlot – 3% Petit Verdot
- Cultivation: Tillage or grass cover. Poussard pruning. Manual thinning and repositioning of bunches. Leaf removal prior to harvest.
- Vinification: Stainless steel vats. Vats ranging from 12 hl to 150 hl to optimise plot-by-plot selection. Fermentation: temperatures of 26 to 28°C; 2 to 3 pump-overs per day. Malolactic fermentation: in vats and barrels. Aged for 12 months in French oak barrels.
History of Château Croizet Bages
The story begins in 1936, when grandfather Paul Quié offered Lucienne a choice of two properties as a wedding gift: Château Pichon Baron, a famous Grand Cru Classé from 1855, and Château Bel Orme Tronquoy-de-Lalande, a modest Cru Bourgeois from the Haut-Médoc appellation. Completely charmed by this beautiful charterhouse overlooking the Gironde estuary, she chose Château Bel Orme Tronquoy-de-Lalande. And it was definitely the grands crus classés that drew them in; when the opportunity arose, they bought Château Croizet-Bages together a few years later.
When they purchased Château Croizet-Bages in 1942, it was clear that their commitment to winemaking had endured over time, guaranteeing the exceptional quality of their terroir. At that time, the appellation contrôlée (AOC) regions were established by defining precise production conditions: grape varieties, yield, alcohol content, and methods of cultivation and winemaking. And the official recognition of the AOCs by decree gave a boost to the châteaux, which experienced unprecedented growth. Château Croizet-Bages was then among the 18 Grands Crus Classés of the Pauillac appellation.
In 1968, under Jean-Michel’s influence, Château Croizet-Bages underwent a major renovation and modernisation programme. The vineyard was replanted with a precise and tailored selection of each grape variety. Technical tools multiplied, vineyard plots evolved, and advances in oenology became evident. The selection of grape varieties and the division of plots gradually allowed the identity of the Grand Vin to be refined and gave rise to the second wines.
(source: Château Croizet Bages)
What to eat with a 2004 Pauillac Croizet Bages?
- Game
- Tournedo Rossini
- Mushrooms: porcini, chanterelles…
- Truffle risotto
Some photos of the last available bottle of Château Croizet Bages 2004
