Bordeaux’s 1855 Classification is filled with famous names, but Château Saint-Pierre has somehow remained one of its best-kept secrets. At just 17 hectares, it is the smallest Classified Growth in Saint-Julien, a tiny Quatrième Cru Classé surrounded by some of the most coveted Cabernet terroir on the Left Bank. Its obscurity is largely an accident of history. The original estate was gradually broken apart through inheritance, and for decades much of its already minuscule production was shipped directly to private customers in Belgium and England. It took Henri Martin, the visionary behind Château Gloria, years to painstakingly reunite the historic vineyard parcels, finally restoring Saint-Pierre in 1982. The result is one of those increasingly rare Bordeaux estates where the reputation has never quite caught up with what is in the bottle.

And 2016 is exactly the vintage we want from a château like this. The blend is 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc, drawn from mature vines rooted in the deep Günzian gravel that makes Saint-Julien one of the Médoc’s great Cabernet strongholds. The extraordinary 2016 growing season delivered both concentration and freshness, producing wines with the structure for serious aging without sacrificing perfume or energy. Ten years later, that youthful architecture is beginning to relax, putting this bottle at the threshold between powerful young Bordeaux and the savory complexity that only comes with time in the cellar.

In the glass, classic Saint-Julien character comes roaring through: blackcurrant, blackberry, crushed violet, graphite, cedar, tobacco, and warm gravel, with emerging notes of leather and earth beneath the fruit. There is still plenty of Cabernet grip through the finish, but a decade in bottle has begun polishing the edges and revealing the elegance underneath. Give it an hour in a decanter and serve it alongside a dry-aged ribeye, roast lamb, or beef tenderloin. For Bordeaux drinkers who already know the famous names of Saint-Julien, this is the kind of bottle we love putting on the table: a tiny-production Classified Growth, from a benchmark vintage, finally entering the stage when great Bordeaux starts showing you why it was worth waiting for.

Critical Acclaim:

97 Points, Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
"The most effortlessly brilliant vintage in St Julien, and Saint Pierre is right up there with the best of examples you can find. Smoky and sculpted, still chewy tannins, firm but confident, liqourice and campfire smoke that displays welcome and generosity - makes you want to pull up a chair next to the embers and grab a friend to share it with. The fruits are brambled hedegrow and crumbled blackberry, with touches of bioche and cream, along with bitter chocolate that adds definition. Mineral tingle to the acidities, and another wash of smoke as it opens."

Why You’ll Love It

• At just 17 hectares, Château Saint-Pierre is the smallest Classified Growth in Saint-Julien, with production on an entirely different scale from many of its more famous neighbors.

• The exceptional 2016 vintage gave Saint-Pierre the combination we look for in serious Left Bank Bordeaux: concentrated Cabernet fruit, freshness, mineral structure, and the backbone for long-term development.

• A decade of bottle age has moved the wine beyond primary fruit and youthful tannin, while leaving plenty of structure for continued evolution in the cellar.

How To Serve It

• Serve at a cool 60°F to 64°F to preserve the wine’s freshness and keep its Cabernet aromatics sharply defined.

• We recommend approximately one hour in a decanter, allowing the remaining tannic structure to relax and the wine’s graphite, cedar, tobacco, and floral complexity to emerge.

• Pour into generous Bordeaux stemware to give the wine’s increasingly complex aromatics room to develop.

• Pair with dry-aged ribeye, roast leg of lamb, beef tenderloin, duck breast, or other simply prepared roasted meats that complement rather than overwhelm mature Bordeaux.

Provenance Guarantee

This wine comes with an unimpeachable provenance:

• Purchased Ex Chateau En Primeur in 2017
• Released between June 2018 and March 2019
• Stored at Dartess in Bordeaux
• Transferred to London City Bond in February 2020
• Kept in original packaging, undisturbed case

Impeccable Provenance

These wines were acquired through an approved Bordeaux négociant as futures in 2017. Upon release from the châteaux between June 2018 and March 2019, they were stored at Dartess in Bordeaux before being transferred to London City Bond in February 2020. Don't miss this rare opportunity to own a piece of Bordeaux history. With limited quantities available, these wines represent the perfect gift for the discerning oenophile or a treasured addition to any cellar.

Authenticity Assured

Every bottle is delivered with a SommSelect Certificate of Authenticity, ensuring the wine's traceability and optimal storage conditions throughout its journey.This offering represents a true collector's dream - a chance to own a piece of Bordeaux history that promises to be both an exceptional investment and a testament to the pinnacle of winemaking craft.