2019 Chateau Pierre 1er Saint Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux 750 ml

From terroir neighboring legendary estates Château Cheval Blanc and Château Figeac—and with the legendary Michel Rolland in charge of the winemaking—it’s no surprise that the 2019 Château Pierre 1er Saint-Émilion Grand Cru earned a 95-point score.

Anyone who loves powerfully modern Bordeaux or Napa’s plush reds will fall for this gorgeous, classic Right Bank awash with bold black fruit, spice-box and dark-chocolate accents, and delicious density. 

Château Pierre 1er has long been one of the sleeping giants on the Right Bank. Located on the same limestone-heavy plateau as Châteaux Cheval Blanc and Figeac, the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru has always boasted the raw materials to make outstanding wine. And in 2019—a year Wine Advocate called the “sun-kissed cousin” of the legendary 2016 vintage, and “a vintage of pure pleasure”—the Rolland-led château delivered. Big time. Its 95-point rating from James Suckling was the highest ever for the estate.

In 2015 at Château Pierre 1er, Rolland achieved incredible clarity and depth of flavor using the some of the same meticulous vineyard protocols he employs when crafting skyscrapers at Château Pavie, L’Évangile, Troplong Mondot, Harlan Estate, Bond, and Bryant Family. In a spectacular vintage like 2019, there could only be one result: superb concentration and quality, and a striking expression of terroir. 

The hand-harvested grapes are sorted both before and after destemming, and the 80% Merlot/20% Cabernet Franc blend ferments in temperature-controlled tanks before slumbering over a year in a mix of new and once-used barrels. It’s a recipe that puts the “Grand” in Grand Cru.