Château Puynard Cuvée ‘Tradition’
Blaye, Côtes de Bordeaux 2018
Château Puynard Cuvée ‘Tradition’ Blaye, Côtes de Bordeaux 2018
Château Puynard is a small winery and family home of Irish expats and former London wine retailers, Andrew Eakin and Naomi Murtagh, established in 2016 in Blaye, Côtes de Bordeaux. Puynard consists of 16 hectares of contiguous, naturally-farmed vineyards on a gentle slope surrounding the 18th century Château. The Puynard team utilizes their experience with natural and regenerative farming practices to produce new and surprising styles of ultra-delicious wines that break the mold and historic preconceptions of conventional Bordeaux.
The Puynard property, built in 1790, has been home to seven-generations of winemakers prior to getting a fresh start from the current owners, Irish expats Andrew Eakin and Naomi Murtagh. The couple purchased Château Puynard in 2016 and made their first vintage in 2017. From the start, Andrew and Naomi utilized organic farming principles and were subsequently granted their organic certification by Ecocert in 2020. The previous owners had ceased all use of chemicals in the vineyard 10 years prior to Andrew and Naomi’s arrival.
Located near the village of Berson on the right bank of the Gironde river, the property consists of 16 hectares of contiguous, gently-sloping vineyards on the southeast side of the Château, planted in two different soil types: sandy-clay on the plateau and clay-limestone on the hillside. The vines are grown in double Guyot with short pruning. They utilize regenerative cover crops between rows to encourage rich, living soil and a diverse animal life in the vineyard.
The heart of Château Puynard’s production is centered around Cuvée Tradition, an assembly of merlot parcels throughout the estate, vinified in stainless steel for the preservation of fruit purity and maximum freshness. Cuvée Tradition updates the Bordeaux flavor profile, offering immediate drinkability and a food-friendliness that makes it perfect for restaurants.
Vinification – After harvesting, grapes are entirely destemmed and crushed. The must is spontaneously fermented with native yeasts in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks and cement casks. The wine is then aged for 14 months in stainless steel tanks and concrete vats where it undergoes malolactic fermentation. Fined with bentonite, unfiltered.