Montagne-Saint-Émilion
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 3–8 years from release.
🍷 Vintage Profile
The 2016 growing season in Montagne-Saint-Émilion opened with an exceptionally wet spring that replenished subsoil reserves, followed by a warm, arid summer mitigated by the water-retaining clay-limestone slopes. Significant diurnal temperature shifts in late August and September preserved vibrant natural acidity while permitting complete phenolic maturity without excessive alcohol. Harvest took place under ideal, dry conditions, delivering grapes with thick skins, refined tannins, and deep concentration. Universally recognized as a benchmark Right Bank vintage, this 2016 is entering its peak drinking plateau and possesses the structural equilibrium to cellar comfortably through 2032.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roast leg of lamb with rosemary, duck breast with cherry reduction, and aged Comté cheese.
✨ Technical Specifications
Cultivated on southwest-facing slopes where clay-limestone soils provide balanced moisture retention and drainage, this cuvée highlights the classic Right Bank balance. Predominantly composed of Merlot complemented by Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, the fruit undergoes temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel and concrete vats. Aging occurs in oak barrels to polish the structural tannins while preserving vibrant dark plum and earthy minerality.
🍾 About the Producer
Château Haut-Plaisance is an estate wine produced under the auspices of Vignobles Michel Coudroy, an established multi-generational vigneron family rooted in the right-bank satellite appellation of Montagne-Saint-Émilion. Tracing back through ancestral landholdings vinified independently since Michel Coudroy departed the local cooperative structure in 1969, the estate is managed alongside his son Emmanuel Coudroy. The dedicated vineyard parcel encompasses approximately 10 hectares positioned on gentle, southwest-facing hillsides characterized by classic clay-limestone soils, ensuring superior natural drainage and optimal sun exposure. Practicing sustainable viticulture under Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE) principles, the estate focuses principally on Merlot supplemented by Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Vinification follows traditional bordelais parcel-based methods in temperature-regulated tanks followed by oak barrel maturation. The flagship Château Haut-Plaisance Montagne-Saint-Émilion delivers a supple, fruit-forward expression marked by ripe black plum, dark cherry, discreet spice, and fine, well-integrated tannins that offer approachable early drinking while sustaining medium-term cellaring potential.
🍇 Grapes
Merlot, Cabernet Franc
🍷 ABV
14%