Presentation
Presentation
Cœur Perdu is a single-vineyard micro-cuvée from Château de Barbe Blanche. The cuvée's name refers to the writings found in the Barbe-Blanche quarries during the passage of American soldiers during the First World War. At the time, there were many stories of love affairs, sometimes impossible, between these soldiers and local girls. This confidential wine is made from the oldest Bordeaux grape variety, Cabernet Franc. Born of old vines planted on a remarkable clay-limestone terroir, this historic grape variety offers us here its finest expression. Very well-balanced and elegant, this wine has a beautiful aromatic complexity, with notes of black fruit (cherry), mixed with subtle chocolate flavors. Only 1,200 bottles produced each year.
The vintage
2020 was marked by very mild temperatures and contrasting precipitation: heavy spring rainfall was followed by an intense summer drought. The fairly mild winter led to early bud break. The summer heat gave way to cool nights in late August, ideal for ripening grapes.
Terroir
Clay-limestone soil
In the vineyard
Pruning type: Double Guyot
Harvest
09/24/2020
Winemaking
Vinification in thermo-regulated stainless steel tanks. Maceration for 3 weeks.
Ageing
Aged in 500 litre barrels, with little new wood (10% maximum). Use of large containers to preserve all the fruit of the Cabernet Franc. Ageing period for the 2020 vintage: 14 months
Varietal
Cabernet franc : 100%
Specifications
Alcohol content : 14 % vol.
Production volume : 1200 bottles
Surface area of the vineyard : 0.49 ac
Age of vines : 40 years old
Advice
Serving
Serve between 15°C and 17°C
Ageing potential
5 to 10 years
Tasting
Deep red colour.
Elegant nose, marked by notes of ripe black fruit (black cherry), combined with tasty aromas of chocolate, caramel and liquorice.
Well-balanced on the palate, with a certain tension and freshness. We find the gourmet notes of black fruits (cherry); the whole slightly chocolate. Quite firm tannins on the finish. This is a wine with a nice aromatic complexity, which can be enjoyed now or left to age further.
Elegant nose, marked by notes of ripe black fruit (black cherry), combined with tasty aromas of chocolate, caramel and liquorice.
Well-balanced on the palate, with a certain tension and freshness. We find the gourmet notes of black fruits (cherry); the whole slightly chocolate. Quite firm tannins on the finish. This is a wine with a nice aromatic complexity, which can be enjoyed now or left to age further.
Reviews
"This is beautiful and, perhaps for now, my favourite of the three micro-cuvées (but then I have always had something of a soft-spot for the aromatic purity and expressiveness of Cabernet Franc). This is intense and, above all, intensely herbal and floral – with lots of evident Cabernet pyrazine notes.
On the palate it is gentle, a little austere and held-back, ultra-soft on the entry and with a very elegant, stylish and sleek frame – a perfect vehicle for the dark berry fruit and subtly floral elements that are at the heart of this wine. Pure, focused, crystalline and very characteristic of the vintage. It’s a little haunting in personality and has that almost crypt-like calm tranquillity of both the varietal and the vintage. It almost feels subterranean and reflects the sombre image of its name. I find this beautifully composed and very harmonious. Like all the best Cabernet Franc it’s a little introvert and quite intellectual."
On the palate it is gentle, a little austere and held-back, ultra-soft on the entry and with a very elegant, stylish and sleek frame – a perfect vehicle for the dark berry fruit and subtly floral elements that are at the heart of this wine. Pure, focused, crystalline and very characteristic of the vintage. It’s a little haunting in personality and has that almost crypt-like calm tranquillity of both the varietal and the vintage. It almost feels subterranean and reflects the sombre image of its name. I find this beautifully composed and very harmonious. Like all the best Cabernet Franc it’s a little introvert and quite intellectual."
