2015 Petit Gravet Aine
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Tasting notes
Proprietor Catherine Papon-Nouvel's 2015 Petit Gravet Ainé comes across as heavy and very ripe in this vintage, much more so than it did as a young barrel sample. In most vintages, the Cabernet Franc lends aromatic brightness and freshness. In 2015, however, it is the wine's overtness and density that stand out most. I don't see the energy or tension of the finest years. Petit Gravet Ainé is 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot.
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
Composed of 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot matured in 100% new French oak barrels for 18 months, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Petit Gravet Aine is provocatively scented of red currant jelly, raspberry tart and blackberry preserves with hints of dried roses, stewed tea and dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied, very firm and grainy with a lovely perfumed red fruit expression, it finishes long and minerally. This needs 2 to 3 years, at least!
From a great, yet tiny, sandy/clay terroir near Canon-la-Gaffelière and a unique Cabernet Franc-dominated blend mixed with 20% Merlot aged in new barrels, the 2015 Château Petit Gravet Aîné boasts a complex, exotic bouquet of incense, spring flowers, and dried herbs, with a beautiful core of black cherry and plum fruit. The palate is where this gem shines, however, and it’s sensationally pure, layered, and elegant, with a full-bodied, sexy style that just begs to be drunk. Give bottles a few years and enjoy over the following 15-20 years. This is an awesome wine brought to the US by American merchant Jeffrey Davies.