Viniou Reviews
Enclos de la Collégiale 2023 is a red wine from the prestigious Saint-Émilion AOC, located in the heart of Bordeaux's Right Bank. This youthful vintage typically blends Merlot as the dominant grape, complemented by Cabernet Franc and occasionally a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2023 vintage reflects a modern approach to winemaking, favouring stainless steel or concrete fermentation vats to preserve the vibrant fruit character, with careful ageing in French oak barrels to impart subtle complexity and gentle tannins. The wine is likely to express aromas of ripe blackberry, juicy plum and hints of violet, balanced by gentle spice and earthy undertones, characteristic of classic Saint-Émilion wines.
Saint-Émilion itself is renowned for its rolling limestone plateaux and clay-rich soils, which provide perfect drainage and mineral complexity to the region’s wines. The unique terroir, coupled with a temperate maritime climate influenced by the nearby Dordogne River, favours slow, even ripening of the grapes, yielding wines with both structure and finesse. The historic town of Saint-Émilion, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been a centre of viticulture since Roman times, and today the appellation is revered for producing supple, approachable reds with the capacity for graceful ageing.
For food pairings, this Enclos de la Collégiale 2023 shines alongside dishes typical of the Bordeaux region such as entrecôte bordelaise (rib steak with a red wine shallot sauce), confit de canard or a rustic mushroom risotto. The silky tannins and juicy fruit make it versatile for roast poultry, lamb chops with herbs, or even aubergine and lentil moussaka for a vegetarian alternative. Hard cheeses like aged Comté or Tomme de Savoie also make delightful partners.
To fully appreciate its youthful vibrancy and aromatic freshness, serve this wine slightly cool, ideally at 16-18°C. A brief decanting of about 30 minutes will allow the wine’s bouquet to open and soften its texture, offering a smooth and gratifying tasting experience.
