This charming Margaux is packed with fragrant black fruits, silky tannins, and just the right amount of power on the finish. A great expression of the vintage with finesse, freshness, and a velvety mouthfeel. Already drinking well, but has the structure to age gracefully for years. A refined Left Bank Bordeaux that overdelivers for the price.

James Suckling | JS 93
Published: Feb 3, 2017

This is a fragrant and very attractive mid-weight wine with plenty of ripe fruit to balance the full, dry tannins, which give it some real power on the finish. Drink or hold.

Decanter | D 90
Published: Feb 3, 2017
Drink: 2018-2030

Very good black fruits nose and fine supple palate with natural concentration, finesse and fragrance. A charming wine with enough depth for the future.

The Wine Advocate | RP 89
Published: Apr 30, 2014
Drink: 2019-2030

The 2014 Prieure-Lichine has a reserved, slightly tertiary/gravel-tinged bouquet that takes time to develop the fruit behind it. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, a gentle grip in the mouth, but attenuating slightly towards the finish that just needs to develop a little more frisson. Probably best suited for short-term drinking rather than long-term, but you never know.

Jancis Robinson | JR 16
Published: Feb 21, 2024
Drink: 2026-2032

Tasted blind. Deep garnet. Open and aromatic and perhaps some dried fruits here. A bit pruney. Chewy tannins dominate the fruit but it makes a decent whole. Chewy and fresh on the finish.

Prieure-lichine.fr

«August makes the must, while September makes the wine». 2014 was no exception to this ancient wine-growing saying.
The high quality of this generous vintage was enhanced by
exceptional late summer weather. The determination and hard work of the growers were rewarded this year by the arrival of a wonderful Indian summer which allowed us to bring out the full expression of the typicity of the different terroirs of Prieuré-Lichine. 
Winter was quite mild and rainy. Bud-break occurred around the usual dates in mid-March and indicated a potentially large-sized and even crop. Spring was particularly rainy and  mild, which brought about the threat of fungal disease in the vines, forcing us to keep a very close watch on the vineyard to make sure it stayed in good health. June was quite dry, which ensured good flowering. A de-leafing was carried out to provide good ventilation of the bunches. Normal July weather was followed by particularly cool and damp conditions in August.
The temperatures, 2 to 5°C below the seasonal norms, stretched out the veraison process and forced growers to remain on their guard against any outbreaks of disease in the vines. At last, the much-needed hot, sunny weather allowed us to select and ferment high quality grapes, while preserving the identity of each individual parcel. We began the harvesting with the rst Merlot on September 25. The last Cabernet was brought in on October 17. The vinication process went smoothly with relatively long macerations for the vats and resulted in wines with ripe, very ne tannins and precise, complex aromatic expression showing floral, fruity and spicy notes. For their second year, the tulip-shaped vats, together with our use of pigeage (punching down the cap of skins), played an important role in our search for the highest quality. We were able to vinify each individual parcel separately while adapting the extraction precisely to the potential of each lot. The wines have a flavoursome profile with a dense, full and velvety mouth-feel and fully express the
greatness of the Prieuré-Lichine terroir.

Technical Specs

Alcohol: 13.5% ABV
Closure: Natural Cork
Harvest/Vintage: 2014; hand-harvested from 25 September to 17 October, with Merlot picked first, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon
Oak: Aged in French oak barrels, comprising approximately 50% new oak and 50% second-fill barrels.
Varietals: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot
Farming/Vineyard: Château Prieuré-Lichine's vineyards in Margaux, covering approximately 85 hectares. The estate's gravel-rich Günzian soils provide excellent drainage and favour Cabernet Sauvignon. Average vine age approximately 30 years.
Winemaking: Individual vineyard parcels are vinified separately. Grapes are carefully sorted, gravity-fed into vats and fermented with controlled extraction, including punch-downs. Maceration lasts approximately 25 days, followed by malolactic fermentation and barrel ageing.
Winemaker/Producer: Château Prieuré-Lichine; winemaker Étienne Charrier, consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt
Region: Margaux, Bordeaux, France
Classification: Fourth Growth – Grand Cru Classé, 1855 Classification

Serving Temperature: 16–18°C
Decanting: 45–60 minutes; the wine is mature enough to enjoy now, but gentle aeration will help reveal its bouquet
Food Pairing: Roast lamb, grilled ribeye, duck breast, beef Wellington, venison, mushroom dishes and mature hard cheeses