Chateau Peybonhomme-Les-Tours

In the globalized, painfully commercial world of today's Bordeaux, finding quality, authentic wines at everyday prices is a gargantuan challenge. In fact, despite many visits to the region, we had essentially given up on this quest until in 2011 this producer appeared on our vinous horizon. 

The Hubert family settled at Château Peybonhomme-Les-Tours in the village of Cars near Blaye in 1895, and six generations have followed since. The estate is located on a hill overlooking the estuary, with the vineyards on the slopes. From its 17th-century castellated tower, we have a spectacular panoramic view of the entire estate and the Gironde estuary Under the watch of Catherine and Jean-Luc Hubert Peybonhomme has now been an outstanding Domaine for many decades and with the new generation, Rachel and Guillaume Hubert, now at the helm, the wines have never tasted better, or more energetic. 

Who says Bordeaux can’t do artisanal? This small, family-owned Estate has been crafting outstanding biodynamic wines for over a decade. And, with the new generation (Rachel and Guillaume Hubert are now at the helm), these wines have never tasted better or more energetic.

Whichever Bordeaux stereotype you try to apply to this dynamo Right Bank Estate, it’s not going to stick. Think of Bordeaux as big company stuff? Here it’s a small, family-owned Estate. Large-scale farming practices? Here it’s biodynamic farming of the highest caliber. Overly technical wines? Here it’s minimalist with indigenous yeasts, low or no sulphur and low and often no new oak. Expensive? Just look at the prices! And on it goes. It’s Bordeaux, yes, but it’s Bordeaux that breaks the mold. Even the tradition of Bordeaux needing decades in the cellar is overturned here; these are fragrant, supple, medium-bodied reds that are perfect for drinking now and over the short term.

Both Peybonhomme in Côtes de Blaye and its sister Estate, Château La Grolet in Côtes de Bourg are run along almost Burgundian lines; ploughed vineyards, low-yields, ripe fruit and low intervention, wild yeast winemaking results in terroir-driven wines that combine texture, freshness and vigour with a much finer tannin profile than that found in many of the region's wines. These are wines that will appeal greatly to, not only Bordeaux lovers and en-primeur buyers, but lovers of delicious, bona fide and impeccably-made wines full stop.