Château Croix du Rival 2011

Stephan Von Neipperg is one of Bordeaux's finest winemakers, and owner of renowned properties Châteaux Mondotte and Canon La Gaffelière. So impressed with the terroir of this satellite Saint-Emilion estate, he bought Château Croix du Rival in 2007 and has since been proving its worth. It's named after the cross that lies in a corner of one of his vineyards, a monument traditional to the area, that used to help mark the way for pilgrims on the Santiago de Compostella route. Its 20 hectares of vineyard lie on a bed of clay-limestone soil, like top properties Ausone, Canon, and Troplong-Mondot, which helps to produce wines with great ageing potential. Matured in one third new oak barrels for over a year, this Bordeaux is fine, mellow and long.