2020 Chateau Fayat Pomerol Bordeaux 750 ml

In 2009, Clément Fayat had a plan. He’d unite three separate tiny estates in Pomerol. Each one needed updates in both the vineyard and the cellar—but combining them would make those changes make a lot more economic sense.

And so he brought together Château Prieurs de Commanderie, at the foot of the Pomerol plateau, just around the corner from Château L’Enclos, with fine gravel over sandy clay soils; Château Commanderie de Mazeyres, which lies farther west and has lighter soils full of sand and gravel; and Vieux Château Bourgneuf, on the site of the old castle of Pomerol.

The terroir of each complemented the others: Sand and gravel historically are known to bring elegance and aromatics to wines, while clay provides power and richness. Even better, the combined acreage of these small estates would justify a re-done cellar and selective replanting to higher-density in the vineyard—though even after that work, the vineyard is one of the oldest in Pomerol, with an average age of 50 years.

In the cellar, the various parcels are now vinified separately in a combination of stainless steel tanks and large oak fermenters—which bring a je ne sais quoi to the final wine thanks to the micro-oxygenation that naturally occurs through their staves. Like other top Pomerols, this is finely polished with 70% new French oak, though the rest ages in large barrels to preserve a delicacy of fruit and succulence to the finished wine. The result, as Decanter’s judges put it, is “a Pomerol which is both classic and contemporary.”

What a treat for Bordeaux fans—a bottle to cellar and savor.