CHATEAU LA VIEILLE CURE LA SACRISTIE DE LA VIELLE CURE 2013

Merlot-dominant Bordeaux blends from Fronsac rarely appear on New York shelves, which makes La Sacristie worth attention: the Right Bank appellation sits just west of Pomerol on a limestone plateau with chalk and clay soils that keep acidity honest even in warmer years. This second label from Château La Vieille Cure draws from organically farmed, hand-harvested vines fermented with indigenous yeasts, then aged 18 months in French oak with 30% new barrels. The 2013 delivers dried plum, blackcurrant, and cedar with fine-grained tannins and limestone-driven freshness on the finish.