By Chateau de Ribebon
2022 Bordeaux Superieur Reserve

Estate
Domaines Alain Aubert estate encompasses over 250 hectares (618 acres) of vines in Bordeaux. The estate has been planted to vine since the 18th century. The Alain Aubert family comes from the winemaking tradition of Bordeaux's Right Bank. For several decades now, Alain, his wife Bernadette, and their three daughters have fine-tuned and perfected their craft. To celebrate their achievements, their US importer and close friend, Serge Dore, collaborated to create this special and exclusive set of new labels and wines, all proudly bearing the 'Famille Alain Aubert' banner across the top to honor the work of the family.

Terroir
Chateau Ribebon is an 80-hectare (198-acre) Bordeaux Superieur estate boasting an 18th-century chateau once used as a hunting lodge by King Louis XVI of France. The estate is best known for its Merlot-dominant grand vin produced from 60-year-old vines. The old Cabernet Franc vines thrive in this limestone plateau, and this is expressed in the wine as refined elegance and sophistication. The Merlot is completely in its element in the clay soils, showing in the wine as exalted, rich fruit and a poised counterpoint to the structure and tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon. This tannic structure is, at the same time, rendered more subtle and delicate by the limestone.

Technical Details
Origin: Bordeaux
Appellation: AOC Bordeaux Superieur
Blend: 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc
Vineyard: Single estate
Vine Age: Approximately 60 years old on average; some over 100 years old
Altitude: 69.98 meters
Yield: 80.00 hl/ha
Soils: Limestone and clay soils
Farming: Sustainably farmed
Winemaking: Four to five days of fermentation, 20 to 25 days of maceration
Alcohol: 13.50%

Tasting Notes
This wine is the quintessential marriage of elegance and balance. Alain Aubert and family have created a complex, sophisticated wine that is well-balanced, full-bodied, and has a rich concentration of flavors. Their winemaking style reflects the terroir and the quality of the grapes. One of the very best Chateau de Ribebon 'Reserve', and it benefits from the sort of careful winemaking normally reserved for Cru Classe.

Food Pairing
Pairs perfectly with pasta or meat risotto, roasted red meats, slow-braised meats, and game meats such as rabbit and deer.
[Information provided by Serge Dore Selections]

Wine: Chateau de Ribebon 2022 Reserve (Bordeaux Superieur)
Score/Rating: 91 - Cellar Selection
Suggested Drinking Window: Drink from 2026
Review Date: 10/01/2024
Reviewed By: Roger Voss
Tasting Notes: The 100-year-old vines in the blend of this wine come from the plateau overlooking the Dordogne river. It is a richly textured wine with some firm young tannins set against the blackberry flavor. Drink from 2026, when the tannins have softened.