Product description
Bought in 1900, Caronne St Gemme’s 4th generation estate in Bordeaux, with gravel soils, produces classic Bordeaux with silky tannins and fruit purity. The name Caronne comes from ‘Carona’ after a local spring source, and Gemme is a corruption of ‘James’. In the Middle Ages the locality was a parish on the Santiago de Compostela route, where pilgrims would rest before continuing on their way towards the Spanish border. This is therefore an estate with plenty of history and 17th century records show how the land was rented to a farmer in exchange for a quantity of the wine produced from it.
Caronne-Sainte-Gemmehas been owned by the Nony-Borie family since 1900. The estate has progressed a great deal since the early 1980s when François and Jean Nony-Borie became involved in the management. The 45 hectares of vineyards sit on a gravelly plateau in the Saint-Laurent district of the Haut-Médoc inland from Saint-Julien. There is a clear dominance of cabernet sauvignon planted here with a smaller amount of merlot and a tiny proportion of petit verdot. The exact proportions of the blend vary with the vintage.
The wines are classic medium bodied Médoc with plenty of body and perfume. With their notable tannins they well usually for 5-10 years. A very aromatic violet bouquet, the palate is profound with ripe cassis fruit, hints of sweet tobacco, a touch of pencil lead and finely integrated oak. There is a classic rigidity to this wine with fine, polished tannins and a chewy ripe fruit texture. As always this Château delivers great poise and balance.