Vineyards and winemaking
Cuvée Spéciale is a selection from Domaine de Viaud's sandy and gravelly vineyards in Lalande-de-Pomerol. The wine is led by Merlot, with Cabernet Franc bringing freshness and aromatic lift to the naturally rounded fruit of this Right Bank site.
The 1996 was made by traditional, low-intervention methods and matured for approximately 22 months in concrete tanks. Avoiding an overt oak signature allowed the fruit, tannin and earthy character of the vineyard to develop slowly and transparently in bottle.
Tasting notes
Appearance
Tile red with a tawny-brick rim, reflecting its considerable bottle age.
Nose
Dried plum and redcurrant sit behind leather, truffle, cedar and old tobacco. Further air reveals sous-bois, savoury herbs and a gentle note of clove.
Palate
Medium-bodied and fully mature, with softened dark fruit, fine acidity and resolved tannins. Earth, leather and mushroom carry the centre, followed by a dry, delicate finish of spice and graphite.
Food pairing
Choose restrained dishes that will not overpower its maturity: roast grouse, slow-cooked ox cheek, lamb shoulder with rosemary, or a mushroom and chestnut suet pudding. A hard, nutty cheese such as aged Lancashire also works well.
Background story
Domaine de Viaud is a 13-hectare family estate in Lalande-de-Pomerol, founded by Marius Bielle in the 1940s and taken forward by his daughter Lucette from 1982. Merlot dominates the sandy and gravelly vineyards, supported by Cabernet Franc. The estate is now certified organic and biodynamic, with Damien Bielle returning to the property in 2020.
Cuvée Spéciale represents a more selective expression of the property, and this 1996 now offers the tertiary complexity sought in traditionally made mature Bordeaux. Bottle variation is inevitable at this age; stand upright for at least a day, open carefully and decant only to remove sediment, serving soon afterwards.
