Wines by Region / Bordeaux / Bordeaux Supérieur / Château Tour de Mirambeau
Château Tour de Mirambeau - Bordeaux Supérieur and Entre-Deux-Mers
Naujan-et-Postiac, Gironde The Despagne family have owned and grown vines on the Mirambeau site for around 250 years, but Jean-Louis Despagne, along with his wife Odile, was the first to devote himself entirely to winemaking. After graduating in enology from the University of Bordeaux, armed with tips from Emile Peynaud and Jean Ribereau-Gayon, he set out to complete his training on several continents including Africa and South America. After fully satisfying their wanderlust the young couple settled into the ancient windmill on their family’s estate, where they could focus on making wine and raising their kids.
Today, two of those kids, Thibault and Basaline Despagne, have brought the domaine squarely into the modern arena with a fresh perspective based on a love of wine and passion for their family's ancient terroir. From the original 20 hectares of vines, the estate has gradually increased to its present 88 hectares a short 15-minute drive from St. Emilion. About half of that are devoted to white wines. Michel Rolland is one of the Château's consulting enologists, working with the Despagnes so that the wines reflect the personality of this unique family.
Part of that uniqueness is a true commitment to sustainability, and over the past 20 or so years the family has really upped their game in the lutte raisonée area: they have reduced the amount of conventional treatments used by 80%, they have worked hard to develop the biodiversity in their vineyards, and they are currently practicing biodynamically in some of their parcels. Respect for the land that has been passed down to them as well as a high level of winemaking know-how have made this family domaine a leader in the region.
Vinification for the white wines take place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, and the wines remain on their lees until bottling.
Château Tour de Mirambeau Bordeaux Supérieur "Cuvée Passion" White This is the white counterpart to the previous wine, made with 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon, a blend typically seen in the white wines of Graves. Barrels are between 400 and 600 liters, giving a wine that has all the complexity that wood gives without coming across as overly oaky. The fruit is creamy and exotic, buttressed by bright underlying acidity. Great as an accompaniment to complex fish or poultry dishes.
Château Tour de Mirambeau Bordeaux Supérieur Reserve Made with a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, this has a deep inner core of black and red fruits, a hint of cassis and and a round, soft finish. From one of the strongest vintages of the past decade, this classic red is drinking wonderfully now.
Château Tour de Mirambeau Bordeaux Supérieur "Cuvée Passion" Red 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Matured 10 months in new oak barrels, where it also passes its malolactic. Full-bodied, superbly balanced wine. Rich and forward on the nose, its velvety texture yields ripe cassis flavors and spicy oak — a perfect match for roasted and grilled meats or mature cheeses.