Château Penin - Bordeaux Tradition 2018
89/100
RVF
"Bordeaux on a Budget"
“The 2018 Tradition vintage opens with the power of dark fruit—blackcurrant and blueberry—that is highly expressive and refined. The roundness on the mid-palate and the finish with velvety tannins contribute to the refined balance of this Bordeaux Supérieur.” (The Guide to the Best Wines of France 2023 - RVF) A harmonious, balanced wine, typical of its gravel terroir, which sets it apart from other Bordeaux Supérieurs. A taste of Bordeaux within everyone’s reach!
Buy your Penin wines at the best price in a private sale!
Starting at €99 on your first order
Eye
Beautiful garnet-colored dress
Nose
Elegant and refined, its gravelly soil sets it apart from other Bordeaux Supérieur wines
Palate
A harmonious, balanced, round, and full-bodied red wine, without any harshness, that highlights the fruit. The finish is smooth and elegant.
Serve
At 16°C
Apogee
2022-2024
Drink before
2026
Food and Wine Pairings
Enjoy it with apple blood sausage, a hamburger, cannelloni...
Bettane & Desseauve
Rated estate (2021 guide): 2*Stars (A solid, recommendable production, though slightly more consistent and uniform than the previous one)
About the estate:
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 of 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 made the estate’s reputation. The reds are richly fruity and pleasing, particularly the ever-vibrant Grande-Sélection cuvée.
Guide Hachette des vins
Rated Estate (2023 Guide) Award-Winning Wines (This producer's wines regularly receive awards from the guide)
About the estate:
One of the most reliable names among regional appellations, with several “ Favorites ” awards to its credit. A 50-hectare estate situated on a gravelly terroir 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.
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Wine rated (2023 guide) 89/100
Rated Estate (2023 Guide) Selected (Please note that this guide is a ranking, and as such, all estates listed here—even those without a star—represent, in our view, the pinnacle of French winemaking.)
About the wine:
The 2018 Tradition vintage opens with powerful notes of dark fruit, blackcurrant, and blueberry—very expressive and refined. The roundness on the mid-palate and the finish with well-integrated tannins contribute to the refined balance of this superior Bordeaux.
About the estate:
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 somewhat.
Wine Enthusiast
Estate rated "Recommended" (Wine producer recommended by Wine Enthusiast)