Elian Da Ros 'Clos Baquey' 2013

After training at Domaine Zind-Humbrecht in Alsace and the Languedoc’s Granges des Pères, Elian Da Ros returned to southwest France in 1998, acquiring vines on some of Côtes-du-Marmandais’ best hillsides and building his own cellar by hand.
 
Now, he and his wife Sandrine tend 19ha of organically farmed Bordeaux varieties alongside the local red grape, Abouriou.
 
Elian’s winemaking varies depending on each cuvée – some are made with light infusions for freshness, while others use extraction to craft long-lived, powerful wines. Ageing takes place in a variety of different vessels, including oak barrels, concrete eggs, and clay jars, before the wines are bottled without fining or filtration.
 
The domaine’s flagship, ‘Clos Baquey’ – a south-facing, single plot of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Abouriou – is aged in oak and concrete for 36 months and in bottle for a further year. With layers of dark fruit and fine, structured tannins, it offers serious ageing potential.
 
Appealing to fans of old-fashioned Claret, these ready-to-drink vintages – lying in-bond since they were shipped from Elian’s cellar – outclass many more expensive bottles from the Médoc.