Château Trapaud “Un Petit Tour à Vélo” Castillon 2020.

Appellation: Castillon (next vineyard area over from Saint-Émilion on the eastern side)

Producer: Château Trapaud (which itself is in the village of Saint-Étienne de Lisse, one of the winemaking villages of the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru area)

Vintage: 2020

Grape Varieties: 70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc

Alcohol: 14.5% ABV

Vineyard: Terroir very similar to Saint-Émilion on the plains of the Dordogne river that flows past the vineyard area and village of Castillon itself.

Winemaking: Minimal oak

Serving Temperature: 19°C

Don’t be fooled by the knock about label! This is a serious little wine. Un Petit Tour à Vélo shows exactly why Castillon deserves attention from anyone who enjoys generous Right Bank Bordeaux but doesn’t always want to pay top dollar for the privilege.

Château Trapaud (the maker of this wine) brings together 70% Merlot for body and fruit power and 30% Cabernet Franc for perfume and structure, in an overall full-bodied, robust style, with red-berry character carrying through the wine. The attraction is easy to understand: the vineyards sit in country very similar to neighbouring Saint-Émilion on the floodplains of the Dordogne, yet Castillon offers its own route into this classic Right Bank personality.

This is generous, crowd-pleasing Bordeaux with proper structure behind it. The tannins are lively and robust, giving shape to the wine rather than allowing its full body to become soft or shapeless. Minimal oak keeps the expression vibrant and precise, while the sustained red-berry character gives the finish continuity. 

It’s drinking beautifully now and can be enjoyed through 2031. Serve at around 19°C with roast beef, duck confit or slow-cooked lamb. For anyone drawn to Saint-Émilion but keen to explore beyond the famous name, this is a very smart place to look. Hearty yet classy.

Post arrival price will be $45.95