2022 Château Sénéjac En Primeur
Released this morning and with potential scores as high as 93-94 points (JS), 2022 Château Sénéjac makes for a classic start to this year's Bordeaux En Primeur offers.
Sénéjac is the epitome of a Cru Bourgeois estate, a historic property within a stones-throw of the famous communes, with the wine made by a top team, the Cordiers of Château Talbot, with Eric Boissenot consulting. All this for just £142 per dozen in bond.
At en primeur, we usually focus on another classic Cru Bourgeois, Château Beaumont (due to release next week). We think both wines are superb, the main difference being that Beaumont is in a more structured style with firmer tannins, so drinks best with some ageing, whereas Sénéjac seems to have perfected a soft, supple style with plenty of dark fruits. Both wines will deserve a place in your cellar in this outstanding vintage, so do please email us with your order.
Offered En Primeur, landing in spring 2025.
Magnums available with £15 bottling surcharge, please enquire for other formats.
Producer Profile
Château Senejac
Château Senejac is a Cru Bourgeois estate in the Médoc, one of the more southerly of the classic Cru Bourgeois names, just 20km north of the centre of Bordeaux itself. The estate was established in the 1500s and the first vines planted by Nicolas Bloys.
In the 18th century, the castle was bought by Joseph-Ignace de Chatard, a member of the Bordeaux Parliament. In 1746, he sold Sénéjac to his nephew, Jean-Louis Baour, future mayor of Pian-Médoc, who undertook the construction of new buildings.
By the middle of the 19th century, Château Sénéjac vineyard was already producing the equivalent of 100,000 bottles per year. Several owners succeeded one another at the head of the vineyard until 1860, the year of acquisition by the Comte de Guigné whose family remained owners for 139 years.
In 1999 Charles de Guigné sold Château Sénéjac to Lorraine Cordier, owner of Château Talbot. Sadly, she passed away in 2011, and her nieces Philippine and Marguerite and her nephew Gustave took over the property, supported by their parents Nancy Bignon-Cordier and Jean-Paul Bignon. The Cordiers also own Domaine de L'Oratoire in Provence, of which we are the sole UK importers.
The soil of Château Sénéjac is located halfway between Margaux and Bordeaux, on the clayey-gravelly crest of the commune of Pian-Médoc.
The soil is covered with gravel and the proportion varies according to the location of the plot. The gravel allows rapid and efficient drainage, promoting hydric stress. This soil is naturally poor in organic matter which is ideal for producing lean, expressive Cabernet Sauvignon.
The vines are typical of the Médoc with a majority of Cabernet-Sauvignon (52%), followed by Merlot (36%), Cabernet-Franc (8%) and a touch of Petit Verdot (4%).
The Sénéjac estate extends over 150 hectares, but just 41 hectares are planted with vines. The average age of the vineyard is 35 years and the average planting density is 6600 vines per hectare.
The vineyard is managed using integrated viticulture, to the 'EMS' standard; ploughing is favoured over pesticide and herbicide use to manage weeds and vines shoots are composted rather than burnt.
Eric Boissenot is the consultant winemaker. The wines are vinified in thermoregulated stainless steel vats in order to control temperatures during alcoholic fermentation, with very intervention during fermentation, and a gentle, controlled extraction during 20 to 30 days of vatting depending on the vintage. After the assemblage, the wine is aged in 30% new oak barrels for 12-14 months.
Sénéjac's style tends towards dark black fruits and very soft tannins, with lots of suppleness on the palate. A second wine is made under various labels for different markets (Comte de Sénéjac, Artigues de Sénéjac and Petit Sénéjac).
