Château Saintayme, St Émilion, 2025
The Durantous' 'entry-level' wines, that is to say, the wines not produced at their flagship Pomerol estate Chateau L'Eglise Clinet, always rank amongst our 'best value' buys. Saintayme, Chenade, Cruzelles and Montlandrie offer exceptional value for money. Noémie Durantou describes the 2025s as "wines like harmonics, of exceptional purity and intensity". For the first time, Saintayme includes 20% Cabernet Franc, which provides additional lift and aromatics. There's lots of wine here. Opening with bright Morello cherry, sweet, spiced blueberry and gentle oak spice. On the palate there's plenty of creamy dark cherry, fresh raspberry, sage and an earthy minerality. A solid Saintayme wrapped in robust, velour tannins.
critic reviews
The 2025 Saintayme was picked from 20 to 10 September and, for the first time, there is Cabernet Franc in the blend from a parcel that is usually put into a generic blend. It has a light bouquet at first, opening nicely in the glass, just a touch of strawberry. The palate is medium-bodied with chalky tannins on the entry. Light red fruit, leaner than Durantou's other cuvées, with an easy-going finish.
You can easily read the terroir here, feel the juice and slate texture of the St Emilion soils, so different from the character of Pomerol in this particular vintage. Here expect rose petals, rose bud, blueberry, saffron, orange peel. Harvest September 10 to 20. 40% new oak. Harvest September 3 to 12, Noemie Durantou winemaker.