Vignobles Cruse-Lorenzetti: producer profile & 12 wines tasted

Vignobles Cruse-Lorenzetti may not immediately spring to mind as a significant player in the world of Bordeaux wines. Yet this newly formed company, officially launched in 2022, includes names which will be very familiar to lovers of wines from the Left Bank.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 12 Vignobles Cruse-Lorenzetti wines

The new company brings together four estates; St-Estèphe is represented by Château Lilian Ladouys, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, and fourth growth Château Lafon-Rochet. The fifth growth Château Pedesclaux ticks the Pauillac box with Margaux covered by the addition of third growth Château d’Issan.

Vignobles Cruse-Lorenzetti represents a merger of two influential families – one with two centuries of tradition in the region, the other a more recent arrival exuding dynamism (balanced with a healthy interest in rugby).

The former is represented by Emmanuel Cruse, the third-generation proprietor of Château d’Issan, whose grandfather acquired roperty in 1945. Adjoining Château Margaux, Rauzan-Segla and Palmer, there is no doubting the quality of the terroir and potential here, yet this third growth estate has been a bit of a sleeping giant for many years.

D’Issan claims to be one of the two oldest sites in Bordeaux, with wine from the vineyards served at the marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine and King Henry II of England in 1152. The almost unique clos (one of just four in the Médoc) dates back to the 17th century, with the estate today having 53 hectares in production.

The soil here is marked by gravel outcrops and alluvial hills. The château extended beyond the walls of the clos with the purchase of some old-vine plots in 2020 sitting next to Château Margaux. With the recent expansion, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec are now being introduced to enhance the blend.

The Lorenzettis have a very different background to that of the Cruse family. Jacky Lorenzetti developed a passion for Bordeaux wines while at college in Lausanne before setting up a highly successful property company.

After marrying Françoise – born in the Gironde from a family of vinegrowers – the new team made its first acquisition, Lilian Ladouys, in 2008. Lorenzetti is a fanatical rugby fan and owner of the famous Racing 92 rugby team based in Paris.

In 2009, the Lorenzettis purchased the fifth growth Pauillac estate Château Pedesclaux. Significant investment was made in the form of a new, gravity-fed winery (opened in 2014) and important studies into the terroir.

The latter project was led by Emmanuel Cruse and identified 19 different soil types within the 52ha estate. As a result, the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon has been substantially increased at Pedesclaux in recent years – 59% today compared to 43% in 2010 – with the proportion of Merlot reduced.

Pedesclaux was granted organic certification in 2022 and the estate is at the forefront of ecological practices. This is undoubtedly a château to watch, particularly given its lower profile within the classed growths of Pauillac, and less challenging prices.

Having worked together, Lorenzetti acquired a 50% stake in Château d’Issan in 2013. The Lorenzetti family purchased Château Lafon-Rochet in 2021, before the creation of Vignobles Cruse-Lorenzetti in 2022.

The combined estates now comprise over 240ha of vineyards. Lafon-Rochet is now managed by Christophe Congé (ex-Château Lafite Rothschild) with the intention of continuing the environmental and biodiversity approaches championed by previous owners, Guy, Michel and Basile Tesseron.

Cruse and Augustin Lacaille, commerical director for the group, led the masterclass. Lafon-Rochet, Pedesclaux and d’Issan were tasted with the same vintages shown for each château: 2020, 2015, 2014 and 2010.

There were no disappointing wines, with the trio of 2020s in particular hinting at a great future – full of pristine fruit, ripe tannins and lively acidity.

The greatest surprise was the strong showing of 2014 which is often a very underrated vintage. In all three cases, the wines delivered ahead of expectations and represent good value in comparison to 2010, 2016 and 2019.

Perhaps most exciting is the revitalisation of properties such as d’Issan and Pedesclaux, while continuing to build on the great foundations at Lafon-Rochet and Lilian Ladouys (both set to receive organic certification in 2024).

Investment in the winery, respect for the environment, maximising biodiversity and an even greater focus on terroir certainly seems to be delivering in terms of wine quality. These are wines to follow.

See Andy Howard MW’s notes and scores for 12 Vignobles Cruse-Lorenzetti wines:

Wines are listed in score order per estate

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