CHÂTEAU ODILON HAUT-MÉDOC
Château Odilon
Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite
APPELLATION
Haut-Médoc
GRAPE VARIETIES
85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon
WINEMAKERS
Fabrice Darmaillacq
Technical Director
TECHNICAL DATA
Acidity
3.5
Alcohol
13.5%
In 1979 this property was acquired by Baron Edmond de Rothschild who already owned the neighboring estates: Châteaux Clarke and Malmaison. It marked the beginning of a new era, starting with the complete restructuration of the vineyard and restoration of the buildings.
Château Odilon is now part of the estates led by Benjamin de Rothschild, the son of Baron Edmond. Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite has been taking care of the distribution since 1993.
Previously named Château Peyre-Lebade based on its geographical location, the estate has been renamed Château Odilon, in honor of painter Odilon Redon who spent his childhood and most of its active life on the property. His most famous paintings have been inspired by the bucolic landscapes of the Médoc, scattered with moor and marshlands.
Château Odilon is in the Listrac-Médoc appellation, in the middle of the limestone plateau, away from the Gironde estuary. The property thus benefits from a relatively sheltered environment. The clay-limestone soil enables a remarkable resistance to periods of dry weather. The proximity of the Atlantic ocean brings an element of freshness, that is reflected in the bright, fresh aromatic style of the wines. The terroir has proven to be particularly well-suited to Merlot, in a region where Cabernet Sauvignon traditionally predominates. As a result, Château Odilon has a very distinctive character for a Médoc wine.
2019 was a year of contrasts, and was characterized by tremendous variation. A cool spring, scorching heat in the summer and dry weather throughout the year prevented the development of diseases. However, cold, rainy weather in June disrupted flowering, causing coulure and millerandage. Furthermore, water stress, which varied depending on the area and the terroir, resulted in some instances of ripening being checked. The berries were therefore small, resulting in lower than usual yields. Fortunately, there was some rain after September 22nd, which relaunched the ripening process and enabled the red grape varieties to reach a good level of maturity.
WINEMAKING & AGEINGManual and mechanical harvest with a sorting on the whole harvest. Vinification is in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats with cold pre-fermentation maceration and pumping over. Micro-oxygenation in vats. Fermentation takes place over 15 days under controlled temperature of 64°F. The wine is aged in barrels for a period of 14 months.
TASTING NOTESDeep garnet color. Expressive on the nose marked by ripe, fresh fruit. Finewood, slight vanilla notes complete the bouquet after aeration. The palate is elegant, the coated tannins are tempered by a nice acidity. Well-balanced, long and intense, it gives way to a fruity and tasty finish.
