Château Picque Caillou, Pessac Léognan, 2021
Pauline Calvet's Picque Caillou is a bit of a giant killer. Situated between Haut Brion and Merignac airport it makes a habit of outclassing far more illustrious names from the Pessac Leognan commune. Produced from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot, aged in 40% new oak barrels and a mixture of one and two year old barrels, this promises to be another great value Picque Caillou. Aromatically a little closed, on the palate there is an abundance of clear cassis fruit. There is good concentration and a fine texture to the fruit. Plenty of salted berries interspersed with savoury notes and gravel, finishing with fine lacey tannins. A good honest claret.
critic reviews
The 2021 Picque Caillou has a fresh strawberry- and blackcurrant-wine-gum-scented nose. Traces of pencil shaving loiter in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with rather dry tannins, a leafy ’21, showing signs of some attenuation toward the finish that feels a bit raw. This is harsh on the aftertaste.
Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2021 Picque Caillou rouge is a little herbal to begin, soon giving way to a core of red cherries and raspberry leaves, plus hints of graphite and black olives. Light to medium-bodied, the palate is a little lean and green, with a chewy finish.
Vanilla bean and cedar on the nose, depths through the mid palate with savoury blue fruits and a touch of raspberry leaf and green pepper. Enjoyable but struggles to gain momentum. Tasted twice.
Notes of rich berries and plums introduce the 2021 Picque-Caillou, a medium-bodied, tangy and rather compact wine that may flesh out with further elevage.