I must admit that I didn't expect much from this chateau. The opposite was true ...
You arrive in front of a massive iron gate. You ring the bell, introduce yourself, and after a few seconds, the several tons of metal start to slide sideways. The road is clear and you feel you have been allowed to enter the grounds of a well-classified military base.
From the car park you walk through a piece of vineyard and soon you are in the reception area. A nice lady seats you in a stylish lounge. It's almost 40 outside in the shade, so you appreciate the air-conditioning more than the artsy furnishings, bringing the temperature down to a level at which at least the vital organs function.
It's always nice to be attended to by an expert in the word. And young cellar master Audrey Ricordi is just that person. She has been in this position since 2019. Before her, the position was held by Jérôme Juhé, whom she assisted for several years.
Audrey took on the role of guide with gusto. She first briefly introduced us to the location of the vineyards and their soil conditions. Immediately afterwards, in the rows of stainless steel vats, you notice three things: an abundance of light, purity and something that doesn't belong here at all. In the middle of the vat room stands a glass object, distantly resembling something like an elevator. The question for Audrey is obvious.
That something is really an elevator!
But at Château Pédesclaux, it's not just an elevator. At Pédesclaux, the ELEVATOR is literally the epitome of their philosophy. And the philosophy is: no pumps.
All the transport of the must or the wine itself is done by self-fall. And to get the liquid up they need special elevators with built-in stainless steel containers. From the elevators then run pipes to wherever they need to go. Beautiful!
The fact is, it all cost a lot of money. But what's money against conviction... :)
For the wine tasting, Audrey took us to her principal's office and lab all in one. The first sample was also her first wine at this chateau, which she signed off on as head cellar master. It was the 2019 Fleur de Pédesclaux (Merlot 67%, Cabernet Sauvignon 27%, Petit Verdot 6%. Aged 12 months, 30% new barrels). The result was a pleasant surprise. Fruity, harmonious with a long aftertaste. For a second wine, beautiful work.
But here Audrey corrected us. Fleur de Pédesclaux is not considered a second wine. She puts it on the same level as the "first" wine of Château Pédesclaux. The only difference between the two is that Fleur de Pédesclaux is predominantly Merlot.
We will therefore taste the second sample, Château Pédesclaux 2010 (Cabernet sauvignon 55%, Merlot 40%, Cabernet franc 5%. Aged 14 months, 60% new barrels). It is excellent. The extra nine years of ageing is certainly noticeable. And the greater predominance of Cabernet Sauvignon too.
It wouldn't be us if we didn't ask for En Primeur 2021. For Audrey it was no problem, she reached into the cabinet and soon we had Château Pédesclaux 2021 in the glass (Cabernet sauvignon 64%, Merlot 27%, Cabernet franc 6%, Petit verdot 3%). The result? Despite the fact that the 2021 vintage is not considered as top-notch as the three vintages before it, it is certainly something to look forward to.
To conclude: a pleasant surprise and a 'no-pump' philosophy that you won't find elsewhere in Bordeaux (except Cos d'Estournel). It should be noted that they take this philosophy very seriously. If any of the operations people don't own it, Audrey will say goodbye very quickly.
