Château Pomiès-Agassac 2008

blend : 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc.

Best served at : 15°

Decanting : 1 hour

Matching with food : Oven-baked, line-fished pike served with red cabbage.

A low-yield but high ageing-potential vintage.
This was a vintage that took its time taking shape on the vines, but is turning out to be a great Bordeaux in the cellars.
Harvesting came late this year for the Merlot and Cabernet vines alike.
The Merlot was brought in when it reached optimal ripeness; providing mature fruity qualities, roundness and elegance.
There was then an eight-day break to allow the Cabernet sauvignon grapes to ripen fully and achieve impressive phenolic maturity, endowing the final blend not only with their liveliness, but also with a powerful tannic structure that is firm and precise.

To the eye : Garnet red colour with crimson tints. Boasts good intensity and a very brilliant appearance.

On the nose : The bouquet is marked by red fruit and mild spice scents that are not yet giving their all, but do give the wine something of a Rhone Valley style. Sunny moorland scents appear here and there, leading into wilder, almost musky notes.

After airing : When swirled around the glass, the wine becomes denser and reveals a bouquet with hints of roasted herbs backed up by a touch of menthol. After aerating, this delicate bouquet is evocative of ripe fruit (cranberries, blueberries) with sweet and spicy hints (verging on aniseed). After 2 or 3 minutes, a mineral touch emerges, leading into aromatic notes of flint and cold smoke.

On the palate : The sensation on the palate is tender and velvety, with a smooth, tasty tannic structure. The attack is naturally supple, leading into good texture with rounded tannins. The slightly woody finish just adds to the overall impression of harmony. The freshness of the wine gives it an impression of lightness that accentuates its delicious qualities. The aftertaste leaves flavours of black fruit compote and grey pepper.

Tasting note elaborate by Thierry Nérisson, Sommelier