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2000 Prieure Lichine

2000 Prieure Lichine

93 JS

Featured Review
This is very dense and rich now with sweet tobacco, dried berry and mahogany character. Full body with velvety tannins and a juicy finish. A long life ahead of it. Improving with age. James Suckling

James Suckling | 93 JS

Critic Reviews

This is very dense and rich now with sweet tobacco, dried berry and mahogany character. Full body with velvety tannins and a juicy finish. A long life ahead of it. Improving with age.

James Suckling | 93 JS
Under new ownership, Prieuré-Lichine continues its rapid quality improvement. The wine is concentrated, with dark tannins and brooding fruit, dominated by new wood. It is rich, but also structured for a steady development over 10-15 years.

Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE
A solid young red, with big, velvety tannins and lots of ripe fruit, tobacco and chocolate character. Long, fresh finish. One of the best Prieuré-Lichine in a long, long time. Best after 2007. 18,000 cases made.

Wine Spectator | 91 WS
Undeniably the finest Prieure-Lichine in 30-40 years, this textured, rich, medium to full-bodied 2000 boasts a dark ruby/purple color in addition to a knock-out nose of black cherries, cassis, tobacco leaf, cocoa, and toasty oak in the background. The wine is sweet on the attack, full-bodied, and well-textured, with oodles of fruit and glycerin. This is sexy stuff that can be drunk early, but will age gracefully for 15-16 years. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2026.

Robert Parker | 90 RP

Wine Details for 2000 Prieure Lichine

Type of Wine Bordeaux Red : Picture in your mind a combination of cedar, lead pencil, blackcurrant, plum and mineral aromatics, and texture that caresses your palate like a playful lover. The experience is thrilling from the first whiff to the final seconds of a tannic, generous finish - that is what you'll get from a Bordeaux Red
Varietal Bordeaux Blend
Country France : Wine is the lifeblood that courses through the country of France, pulsing with vigorous pride and determination. Viticulture is not just a hobby or an occupation in France; it is a passion, a cherished tradition that has been passed down through generations of wine stained hands. Winemaking is a beloved art that has been ingrained in the culture, an aptitude instilled in sons by fathers and the hallmark for which France’s reputation was built, allowing it to be renowned as, arguably, the most important wine producing country in the world.



For centuries, France has been producing wines of superior quality and in much greater quantity than any other country in the world. It boasts some of the most impressive wine regions, coveted vineyards and prestigious wines on earth. The regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, Sauternes and Champagne have become the benchmark, for which others aspire to become. Legendary producers such as Chateaux Margaux, Domaine De La Romanee Conti, Chapoutier, d’Yquem and Dom Perignon are idolized world-wide.



France has stamped its name on nearly every style of wine, from the nectar-like sweet Sauternes to hedonistic Chateauneuf Du Papes classic Bordeaux and Burgundy, to its sparkling dominance in Champagne. Many of the most infamous grape varietals in the world, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay originated in France and are not only beloved, but utilized in the creation of some of the greatest wines on earth. French wine production commands the attention of the wine market year after year. With over 860,000 hectares under vine, and numbers close to 50 million hectoliters of wine produced annually, France dominates the market and sets the standard for not only product quality, but also quantity.



France’s many contributions to the world of wine have been absolutely indispensable. The country is the originator of the term “Premier Cru,” coined the term Terroir (a French term so complex there is no literal translation) and has laid the blueprint for a structured appellation system, which others have implemented in their own countries. French vineyard techniques and winemaking practices are mimicked world-wide. California vintners have been replicating Rhone style wines for decades, South America has adopted the French varietal of Malbec and countries around the world are imitating Burgundian styled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.



With vast diversity in terroir, France is home to some of the most hospitable winegrowing locations on earth. The combination of topography, geology, climate, rainfall and even the amount of sunlight combined with the long historical tradition of winegrowing and making, has allowed the vintners of France to not only hone their skills, but learn from nature to create a product that like the world in which it resides… is very much alive.


Overview

Producer P.Lichine : In the heart of Margaux, the castle of Chateau Prieure Lichine stands proudly; its exquisite intimacy and commanding façade serve as a direct link to the estate’s history. Its successive line of ownership has proved to be an attribute, rather than detriment, contributing greatly over the centuries to its qualitative progress. What began as a priory, serving its wines to devoted followers, has turned out to be one of the finest estates in all of Bordeaux. Today, the Left Bank property is one of the flag ship estates of the Margaux AOC (Appellation of Origin Controlled) and its wines, some of the most sought after in the region.

Prieure Lichine’s wine production is one of the oldest in Margaux, dating back to the 13th Century. The Priory was founded by Benedictine monks of the Abbey of Vertheuil and from the onset was highly regarded. With the support of the “Bordeaux Pope” Clement V, the church vineyards flourished, though it would not be mentioned as a Cru until 1444. During its early existence it was known as Domaine du Prieure and had already developed a well-respected reputation. As international interest for Medoc wines emerged, the property had come under the ownership of Durand Delains and subsequently was awarded Grand Cru Classe of the Official Classification of 1855.

A century later, the aftermath of the Great Depression and the phylloxera crisis had left the property physically and financially crippled with only a handful of hectares under vine remaining. At this time, the estate came under the ownership of the great Alexis Lichine, internationally renowned wine expert, author of landmark reference books in the field and entrepreneur. He renamed the property Prieure Lichine and quickly precipitated the rebirth of the estate; expanding the property, renovating the facilities and restructuring the vineyards. He was an outstanding winemaker and tireless peddler of the fame of Bordeaux wines in the world. The "Pope of Wine" as he was known, sadly passed away at the Prieure on June 1, 1989, though his accomplishments and legacy live on.

Prieure Lichine was purchased by the Ballande Group in 1999, who began a serious program of replanting large selections of the vineyards. The chateau hired the renowned oenologist, Stephane Derenoncourt and his team as their consultant. The group added 7.5 hectares of vineyards with the purchase of the little-known estate of Pontet Chappaz and completed a renovation and modernization of their cellars and winemaking facilities, giving them the ability to vinify their wine on a true parcel by parcel basis. The domaine has been ever-committed to maintaining the quality of wines and respecting the terroir, being recognized as High Environmental Value (HVE) Certified, in 2019.

Today, Prieure Lichine is comprised of 77.5 hectares, which is made up of a constellation of plots characteristic of the Margaux terroirs, with a mosaic of soils spread over the 5 communes of the appellation. The soil structures vary from pebbles, gravel, sand, clayey sediments and the Gunz gravel terraces, which provide unequaled drainage properties. These host soils are perfectly attuned to the varietals planted. The vineyards are planted to 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot and is the exact blend used to create the estate’s Grand Vin and second wine, Confidences de Prieure Lichine (though actual percentages depend on the vintage). The estate also owns vines in the Haut-Medoc where they produce Le Clocher du Prieure (3rd wine) as well as a 1.4-hectare parcel in Arsac, planted to 70% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Semillon and is the source for their white Bordeaux wine, named Le Blanc de Chateau Prieure Lichine. Total annual production for Prieure Lichine is around 25,000 cases.

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