Monocépage Merlot from the Médoc – how good can it be?

When you think of top monocépage Merlot from Bordeaux you think immediately of the right-bank, of Saint-Émilion and, above all, of the plateau of Pomerol. It has been rare to taste pure Merlot from top left-bank Médoc estates - until now, with the release of  Branas Grand-Poujeaux's Marpaout 2022. db's Bordeaux correspondent Colin Hay reports.  In Pomerol we are truly in the lap of the Gods: Petrus, Le Pin, La Violette, Enclos Tourmaline and (in recent vintages at least) Trotanoy. In St Emilion, monocépage Merlot is a little rarer and perhaps a little less feted than once it was and by comparison. But it is still integral to the identity of a number of iconic classed growths such as Bellevue, Péby-Faugères and Les Grands Murailles (even if the latter has now been incorporated within the vineyard of Clos Fourtet). But on the left-bank monocépage Merlot is rare indeed. Only one left-bank classed growth comes from a vineyard planted exclusively with Merlot. It comes from the 1953 classification of the Graves (revised in 1959) and not, of course, from the 1855 classification of the wines of the Médoc. It is Couhins-Lurton. Yet it would be wrong to infer from this that the Médoc does not produce world class Merlot. It does. It just tends to share a bottle with its varietal peers – in part because of the much greater average size of left-bank estates and in part because of the reluctance of the classed growths to upstage their grands vins with a more limited production monocépage cuvée. In short, other than the odd barrel sample, we tend not to get to taste pure Merlot from top left-bank Médoc estates. That is, until now! Branas Grand-Poujeaux is not a classed growth estate, even if it widely recognised as producing wines of classed growth quality; and it does not come from an appellation that contains a classed growth. But it does have some of the best Merlot terroirs and some of the best Merlot parcels in the whole of Bordeaux, notably the 1.7 hectare plot Marpaout that it now vinifies and bottles separately. This is the most likely candidate for the Médoc’s finest Merlot.

The potential inherent in the plot

The dome-shaped parcel of Marpaout is situated at 25m above sea level (asl) the highest point of the Médoc’s famous Terrace 3 and the highest point in the appellation. Planted in 2000 with Merlot vines on Riparia rootstock and at a relatively high density of 10,000 vines per hectare to encourage deep-rooting and the fullest expression of this most complex of terroirs, the plot sits on a unique gravelly hilltop (locally known as ‘poujeaux’) forged from Gunzian gravel deposited in the Quaternary period (between 2.4 and 1.8 million years ago). The sub-soil is no less interesting as a detailed soil analysis has revealed. Beneath the Gunzian gravel deposits on the surface are, respectively, 50 centimetres of gravel and humus, no less than 3m of deep gravel with a high concentration of crasse de fer (typically associated with Pomerol), 50cm of gravel and grey sand, 30cm of iron-rich brown clay and 50cm of blue-green clay and limestone. This final layer is crucial in that it provides moisture throughout the year even in the face of conditions that would otherwise induce intense hydric stress. The high concentration of oxidised iron at different layers also supports the plants’ photosynthesis and encourages optimal ripening. The potential of the plot itself has been long-appreciated by Arjen Pen and his consultant oenologist, Hubert de Boüard, aided by the relatively late blending of Branas Grand-Poujeaux’s grand vin. Year after year and in rather different climatic conditions when tasted blind it has consistently produced Branas’ best wine – above all, as the vines have matured and their root systems developed. It was only logical that at some point the decision be taken to vinify and bottle it as a separate cuvée. That decision has now been taken and the 2022 is the first vintage. There is no 2023 vintage, due to mildew losses and a decision has yet to be taken on the 2024. In 2022 the vines were pruned to just three buds per cane. The parcel was hand-tended throughout the growing season with careful canopy management to protect the fruit whilst seeking optimal ripeness. The Marpaout plot was hand-harvested in the early morning of the 14 September. After de-stemming and optical sorting, the berries were gently crushed and transferred to a 60 hl truncated wooden vat for a cold pre-fermentation maceration of five days. Alcoholic fermentation with manual pumping over for eight days followed, with malolactic fermentation in barrel. The wine was aged for 12 months in a combination of French oak barrels (from Darnajou, Demptos, Taransaud and Stockinger) with a single racking after 6 months. The contents of the four barrels were then combined and the wine transferred to a 750 litre Tava terracotta amphora for a final 12 months of aging. The wine was bottled on 20 January 2025. The wine will be distributed directly from the property through select importers. A leading London based merchant will have the UK exclusivity as agent and will distribute to other merchants. Each numbered bottle comes with its own certification and is presented in an individual wooden case hand-crafted from French maritime pine.

Tasting notes

Marpaout 2022 (Moulis-en-Médoc; 100% Merlot; from a final yield of 41 hl/ha; pH 3.66; 14.5% alcohol; a total production of around 900 bottles and 50 magnums). Tasted twice, first from the amphora prior to bottling and then from bottle. Sourced from the highest Merlot parcel in the appellation and the highest point on Terrace 3, this comes from arguably the best Merlot terroir in the Médoc. Ethereal. Plump. Plush. Curvaceous. And ultra-refined. There is no suggestion of oak, but you’d notice if it weren’t there. It has that gorgeously sumptuous lushness that comes only from top Merlot. Graphite, with the slightest hint of cedar in the aromatics. Damson. Mulberry. Blue fruits. Fruits of the forest. A touch of wild sage. Thyme too and maybe a sprig of moorland heather. There’s a certain Médocain austerity that I really like about this – it’s much more Le Pin than Petrus in that respect. Sapid and succulent with signature freshness and lift. Gently spicy, with a little nutmeg and cinnamon, but all in moderation and balance. When decanted for three hours, there is even more freshness and more florality too – blood orange, orange blossom and early spring blooms. I find this very composed and gentle on the entry, but then increasingly sinuous, fluid and dynamic in the mid-palate. Ultra-fine grained tannins bring great precision and great clarity. Delicate yet powerful as the finest Merlot should be. So long too on the aerial, floaty, seemingly eternal and gently tapering finish. Beguilingly fresh and exquisitely balanced. 98.