Château Penin - Bordeaux Clairet 2024

Patrick Carteyron is one of the leading figures in the vast Bordeaux appellation. He has made his Château Penin a benchmark across various appellations, wine colors, and vintages. The family-run estate has grown from 13 hectares in 1854 to 40 hectares today. The red wines—and especially the fine cuvées, Les Cailloux and Grande Sélection—are produced on a stony Quaternary terroir, the estate’s most prestigious. The more common sandy and clay soils are reserved for producing delicious rosés and clairets. Year after year, the clairet remains “the” benchmark for this appellation. Here you’ll find a wide range of wines at every price point, all focused on fruit, quality tannins, and freshness—including charming, full-bodied whites and rosés, and the famous clairet, as mentioned, with its consistently vibrant fruit, which has built the estate’s reputation. The reds are richly fruity and pleasing, particularly the ever-vibrant Grande-Sélection cuvée.

One of the appellation’s flagship wines. Consistently excellent regardless of the vintage, this clairet is a crowd-pleaser, and once again, its pure fruit, breadth, and length shine through; with a strong Merlot component (90%), this rosé is built around very fresh fruit—cherry and tart red berries—and a structure that is at once full-bodied, rich, and delicate. A complete success, perfect for any season—pair it with cured meats, ratatouille, or grilled pork chops. 2024–2026

One of the most reliable names among regional appellations, with several “ Favorites ” awards to its credit. A 50-hectare vineyard situated on gravelly soil on the left bank of the Dordogne, across from Saint-Émilion. Founded by the Carteyron family in 1855, it has been managed since 1982 by Patrick, an oenologist.

Rated HVE3, this wine is one of the finest examples of Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur. Penin is refining its lineup by focusing on limestone and gravel soils, while retaining the finesse of a fruit profile that appeals to a wide audience. Under the “Natur’” label, the estate produces a rosé, a clairet, and a red, thereby shaking up the conventions of classic Bordeaux to some extent.