Château Jaugue Blanc 2014 – Saint-Émilion Grand Cru | Wine Review · My Tasty Travel


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Château Jaugue Blanc 2014

A winemaker’s vintage, a wine that kept its soul

Appellation Saint-Émilion Grand CruVintage 2014Grapes Merlot 80% · CF 15% · CS 5%Alcohol 13% ABVServe 16–20 °C / 61–68 °F
By Raice Cabral-Lesellier, DipWSET
Bottle of Château Jaugue Blanc 2014, red Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, with the My Tasty Travel sticker
Château Jaugue Blanc 2014, pulled from my cellar.

Today, I pulled a Château Jaugue Blanc 2014 from my cellar. It’s not just any bottle: 2014 is the happy year I got married. But in Bordeaux… it’s a winemaker’s vintage, the kind that separates the best from the rest.

The summer was cool, grey and rainy, and many had already written the year off. Then, from late August to late October, an exceptional Indian summer changed everything. Those with the nerve to wait and the discipline to tend their vines to the very end harvested ripe, healthy grapes that kept a rare freshness.

In 2014, the weather didn’t make the wine for the winemaker: the work made the difference.

We often picture an old Saint-Émilion as round, flattering, a little tired. This small 4.5-hectare family estate goes the other way: at 12 years old, it hasn’t slumped.

Tasting note

Appearance

Ruby-garnet. The first signs of age appear at the rim, but the core is still alive.

Nose

Fruity and delicate, with good intensity.

CherryStrawberryBlackcurrantVanillaLiquoriceMint

Palate

The acidity is bright, and it drives everything. Then come vanilla, coffee, tobacco, liquorice and a touch of leather. Yet the fruit stays in front. The body is medium (–), and the 13% alcohol is perfectly integrated. The tannins are fine and very supple, polished by patience. A noble bitterness runs through it all.

Bright acidityMedium (–) bodyFine tanninsCoffeeTobaccoLiquorice

Finish

Good length, stretching out on noble bitterness and freshness.

MTT Verdict
Very good wine

This wine has gained complexity without losing its soul. The balance between fruit and acidity is remarkable. It drinks beautifully today, and its freshness leaves it a few more years of ageing. It is surely at its peak, but not at all in decline.

A real lesson for anyone who thinks a “small” Saint-Émilion must be drunk young.

Those who bought it in our 2022 private sale in France, at €15.50, got good value. And good news for US readers: this wine is exported to the United States, so it’s worth looking out for.

Drink nowGood value

Food pairing

  • 🕊️Roast pigeon
  • 🍄Beef tenderloin with porcini

Technical sheet

Region
Bordeaux, Right Bank
Appellation
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
Colour
Red
Vintage
2014
Alcohol
13% ABV
Bottle size
750 ml
Grapes
Merlot 80%Cabernet Franc 15%Cabernet Sauvignon 5%
Viticulture
Sustainable farming (viticulture raisonnée)
Vinification
Table sorting, destemming, cold pre-fermentation maceration, fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks, frequent punch-downs.
Bottling
At the château
🌡️ 16–20 °C / 61–68 °F

Serving temperature. Serve it in a generous red-wine glass so the fruit and minty freshness can open up.

To decant or not? I tasted it right after opening: it was expressive, delicate and already balanced, so I poured it straight into the glasses. I advise against decanting or over-aerating old vintages: being more fragile, they deteriorate quickly in contact with air. Better to give them air only at the last moment, just before drinking.

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Le vin vrai — lu, vécu, appris.