Château Penin - Bordeaux Supérieur Grande Sélection 2020

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.

A full-bodied, fruity nose; smoky toast, black pepper, and black cherries—very lively and nuanced aromatically. Delicate and crisp, with a lively bite, but also featuring beautiful, chalky yet refined tannins that lend body and structure to the fresh red and black fruits. Plenty of licorice spice on the palate that lingers on the edges, but this wine seems well-crafted and offers plenty to enjoy. Let it breathe in a decanter for at least an hour. Easy to drink, it is balanced and refined. Produced by Patrick Carteyron, representing the fifth generation of winemakers. Made from a selection of 15 hectares of his finest old-vine Merlot terroirs, aged for one year in oak barrels. Enjoy it with a Sunday roast beef. 2023–2030

Very well-balanced and elegant, this wine offers all the qualities of a fine Bordeaux: light oak notes paired with ripe fruit, good body, supple tannins, and a fresh, minty finish. Best enjoyed while it’s still fruity. 2022–2026

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.