For Christmas, the two Saint-Émilion Grands Crus Classés put Soutard 2016 and Larmande 2018 in the spotlight. Offered at 65 and 45 euros respectively in their year-end selection, the bottles come with pairing suggestions, from matured rib of beef to porcini risotto.
A rib of beef, a capon with mushrooms, a stuffed fowl: the pairings proposed by Château Soutard and Château Larmande give the choice of wine a concrete starting point. Each of the two estates presents one vintage for the festive season, with style indications and culinary associations that make it possible to compose the meal without reducing the bottles to their labels.
Soutard 2016, built around roasted meats
Château Soutard’s vineyard lies mainly on the clay-limestone plateau of Saint-Émilion, complemented by clay slopes and sandy foothills. Limestone thus holds a central place in the estate’s identity, without alone summing up the diversity of its parcels. shop.chateau-soutard.com
For its 2016 vintage, the estate highlights a balance between power, freshness and finesse. Merlot dominates the blend, accompanied notably by cabernet franc, while barrel ageing contributes to the profile described by the château.
The suggested pairings favour meat: matured rib of beef, venison fillet with cranberries or roast capon with mushrooms. A plate of aged cheeses also appears among the estate’s proposals.
Château Soutard 2016 — 75 cl, €65 announced.
Larmande 2018, the amphora alongside the wood
The history of Château Larmande is attested from 1585 in local archives, according to the estate’s documentation. This age is matched by winemaking and ageing choices that have evolved over time. Chateau Larmande
The 2018 vintage notably marks the first use of terracotta amphorae. The estate states that it has aged 10% of its wine in them since then, in addition to French oak barrels. Stainless steel tanks, for their part, play a role in the vinification described by the estate. Chateau Larmande
In its year-end presentation, Larmande emphasises the generosity of the merlot and the freshness brought by the cabernets. The proposed pairings range from duck magret to roast veal, by way of a stuffed fowl or a porcini risotto.
Château Larmande 2018 — 75 cl, €45 announced.
The suggestions of the two estates converge notably around poultry and mushrooms. They are avenues for building the menu, rather than a rigid division between a solemn meal and a convivial table.
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