Chateau Chasse Spleen 1986
Château Chasse-Spleen is located in the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation, in the Bordeaux wine region. The estate was formed in 1820, when the Grand Poujeaux estate was split into two parts: Poujeaux Gressier and Poujeaux-Castaing. The latter was renamed Chasse-Spleen in 1863 following other divisions. The name refers to the quality of the wine and its ability to "dispel spleen", a phrase said to have been uttered by Lord Byron during his visit to Poujeaux-Castaing in 1821. The estate has also been linked to the French poet Baudelaire , known for his main work, Les Fleurs du Mal which contains many works titled "Spleen". The estate was purchased by Jacques Merlaut in 1976 and has been managed since 2000 by his granddaughter, Céline Villars .
Chasse-Spleen 1986 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot . The wine is aged for 12 to 18 months in French oak barrels, 40% of which are new. The 1986 vintage for Bordeaux was relatively difficult, but excellent wines were nevertheless produced. The growing season began with a particularly cold winter. Spring started with cool, wet conditions until milder weather guaranteed both bud break and flowering, although they were slightly delayed. The good weather sets in and the summer is long, hot and extremely dry. September brought much needed rain to revitalize the soil and the vines. Conditions dried up towards the end of the month, giving way to hot, dry weather which brought welcome winds favorable to maintaining the vines.
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot