The vintage
The vegetative cycle was homogeneous and serene, with early flowering and veraison. This vintage took place in hot and dry conditions, especially in June and August. The rains that arrived at the beginning of September allowed to perfect the ripening and to accompany the last phase of the vegetative cycle in good conditions. The harvest, the earliest in the history of the estate, started on September 12, allowing to harvest grapes at optimal ripeness. The 2025 vintage emerges as a complete and energetic wine, confirming both the resilience of the vineyard and the exceptional potential of Potensac in hot years, where ripeness is achieved without excess and where balance remains at the heart of the estate's style.
Terroir
Located on the heights of Ordonnac, north of Saint Estèphe, Potensac benefits from a unique terroir of clay-gravelly slopes resting on a limestone subsoil, particularly rare in this part of the Médoc. This geological combination promotes both drainage, concentration, and natural freshness. The relative altitude of the vineyard also allows to capture the temperate influences of the Gironde estuary to the east and the Atlantic currents to the west, bringing a beneficial freshness to the ripening of the grapes and the balance of the wines in hot vintages. The old vines of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, some of which are over a hundred years old, find ideal conditions there to produce structured, deep wines with a strong aging potential.
Winemaking
Traditional - 15 to 18 days.
Ageing
12 to 16 months in French oak barrels (30% new).
Varietals
Merlot : 41%
Cabernet-sauvignon : 37%
Cabernet franc : 22%
Specifications
Yield : 28 hL/ha
Tasting
Dense and serious, this Médoc claims a declared classicism and a structure built for long aging. Its reserved character in youth suggests a beautiful evolution in the cellar." - Bettane & Dessauve.
Reviews
James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
Vinous
Wine Advocate