Chateau Les Giraudels de Milon Saint-Emilion 2015

The wine was made by Jean-Luc Thunevin, the original “Bad Boy” of Saint-Émilion and the inspiration behind the garage wine movement. He became a star in less than a decade thanks to his world-famous Château Valandraud. Thunevin looks for optimal ripeness before harvest and brought to Bordeaux techniques from Burgundy, like punching the cap and stirring the lees for optimal concentration.

This comes from a boutique 13-hectare Grand Cru estate planted on coveted limestone-clay soil with 35-45 year old vines. Thunevin’s wife Murielle personally supervises the vineyard care: pruning adapted to each vine, systematic thinning, green harvest to purposely limit bunches. The attention to details are absolutely absurd, but it’s what makes this labor of love so special. All these micro-cuvées work to lower yields and produce the ripest fruit possible. The rewards are staggering.