Château Gigault Cuvée Viva 2020

Château Gigault was acquired in 1998 by Bordeaux's renowned Christophe Reboul, who had purchased Blaye's Château Les Maréchaux the year before. He immediately employed Stéphane Derenoncourt, winemaker at some of Saint Emilion’s greatest estates (La Mondotte, Canon La Gaffelière and Pavie Macquin), as consultant. The château releases two wines – a traditionally made claret and this, their no expense spared Cuvée Viva, named after Reboul's late daughter. Critic Robert Parker described it as “consistently one of my picks as an overachieving wine”, while James Suckling considers it "excellent value". Hand picked, low yield Merlot aged in new oak, this is a rich, velvety, well structured claret. Appealing now; even better with some cellaring.