Chateau Les Barraillots is a tiny, 7-hectare vineyard, established in 1928 by the Brunet family, which bought parcels of vineyards from Chateau Palmer in 1928 and Chateau Durfour in 1933. Brunet was originally a cooper who worked at Chateau Margaux and intended to make wine for his own consumption. His son took the lead in the 1950s to develop the business until Michel Brunet took over in 1963. Since 2002 Michel’s son Yannick has been in charge.
The winery is known as the last small independent wine producer in the area and one of the only few Crus Artisans in the Margaux appellation. Crus Artisans du Medoc is a classification of small wineries where the owner is actively involved in every aspect of wine production. Estates are selected for their size, quality and value in a process that is renewed every 5 years.
Barraillots is quite modest, indeed only in Bordeaux could the small stone outbuilding be called a chateau! But they have great vineyards planted on gravely hilltops at a very high density (10,000 vines per hectare). This density reduces yields and increases grape quality. The vines are too close to allow for anything but manual picking and pruning.
Chateau Les Barraillots Margaux is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot bringing richness, perfume and complexity to the blend. Grapes are hand-harvested and sorted, and the finished wine ages in barrel (20% to 25% new) for twelve months.
The 2021 vintage is outstanding, possessing both classic characteristics and the potential for medium-term aging, yet it is accessible at the moment. On the nose there is a typical Margaux perfume that suggests other-worldliness. There is also spice and earth, along with juicy black currant and plum. As you would expect with a young wine, the palate is still a bit tight with good tannic grip. However, the tannins are round and ripe and add to the weight of this wine. Acidity is excellent and will support aging for at least the next 15 years This refined elegance become more pronounced as it opens up in the glass.
With only 12,000 bottles produced annually, this Margaux is a rare and sought-after find. (I get 600 bottles.) It pairs well with herbed beef tenderloin, making it a perfect choice for special occasions. The alcohol is 13.5%.
This is drinking well now, though I would decant it for a few hours to allow the aromas to emerge. Better yet, put it away for a year or two before enjoying.
Of some note, Yannick makes about 40 barrels of wine a year. In a tradition started by his grandfather, he sells about half his production to a Bordeaux negociant which bottles and sells the wine under a slightly different label. Yannick keeps the best barrels for himself and bottles under this, his own, label. The label is in Braille because he has a familial history of blindness.
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