Alcohol: 15.0 %
Grape(s): Merlot, Cabernet Franc
Location: Pomerol AOC, Bordeaux, France
Tasting Notes: Deep garnet-purple. Gorgeous boysenberry and blackberry fruit on the nose, lifted by flowers, black cherry, espresso and a hint of blue fruit. Full-bodied, sappy and generous on the palate — velvety Merlot texture over smoked cedar and chewy, ripe tannins — with unmistakable Pomerol typicity and a long, warm, polished finish. Drinking youthfully tight now; give it a decant or hold 3-5 years, then enjoy through 2035.
Notes: The 2020 blends 94% Merlot with 6% Cabernet Franc from the estate’s clay and gravel parcels on Pomerol’s plateau — the warm, sun-drenched 2020 vintage concentrating Merlot’s dark fruit while keeping its velvety, almost silky Pomerol profile. Classic Bordeaux élevage in French oak frames the fruit without overwhelming it.
Food Pairing: Excellent with duck breast, roast lamb, beef tenderloin, truffle-tagged dishes, and aged Comté or Gruyère.
Winery Story: Château La Croix du Casse is a small, under-the-radar estate on Pomerol’s prized eastern plateau, minutes from the village church. Long a quiet source of value in one of Bordeaux’s most expensive appellations, the château delivers true Pomerol — silken, dark-fruited, truffle-scented Merlot — without the grand-cru price tag; it reaches the US through importer Monsieur Touton.
