Vineyards and winemaking
Château d’Armailhac’s official 2000 blend is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Merlot. The Pauillac vineyard’s gravel soils provide drainage and warmth for Cabernet, while clay-limestone layers and the unusually generous share of Merlot give the wine breadth, roundness and a supple counterpoint to its Médoc structure.
The fruit was harvested from 25 September to 6 October and vinified in temperature-controlled vats. French oak maturation followed, with the estate’s measured use of new barrels bringing smoke and cedar while allowing the floral red and black fruit of this celebrated vintage to remain at the centre.
Tasting notes
Appearance
Dark garnet red with a gently brick-toned rim.
Nose
Redcurrant, blackcurrant and mature plum are joined by violets, smoke and cigar box. Notes of liquorice, earth and sweet spice deepen as the wine opens.
Palate
Balanced and rounded, with ripe currant fruit resting on smooth, mature tannins. Cedar, graphite and liquorice add classic Pauillac definition before a long, harmonious finish of fruit and spice.
Food pairing
Pair with roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, lamb cutlets with rosemary, pigeon with puy lentils, or a mushroom and shallot tart. Aged Gruyère or Lincolnshire Poacher will match its savoury depth.
Background story
Named for the Armailhacq family, Château d’Armailhac was recognised as a Fifth Growth in the 1855 Classification. Baron Philippe de Rothschild bought the property in 1933, and it continues under Rothschild family stewardship alongside neighbouring Mouton Rothschild.
The 2000 vintage combines a generous Merlot component with Cabernet’s Pauillac line and is now fully mature. Bottle variation is natural: stand upright, remove the cork gently and decant only as required to separate sediment. Serve at around 16–18°C and follow its development in the glass.
