Value hunting off the beaten track - Château de Sours
In Decanter Magazine's Bordeaux 2010 supplement, James Lawther MW goes off the beaten track to find "producers making top quality generic Bordeaux"...
In the article, which laments the fact that “despite a trio of good-to-excellent vintages (2008, 2009, 2010) the news has been anything but heartening at generic Bordeaux level recently” and “it makes you wonder whether it really is possible to make good generic Bordeaux and survive” but James Lawther MW finds that “the answer, surprisingly is yes”.
Featuring Château de Sours, the article continues:
“When Martin Krajewski acquired Château de Sours, he calculated that the annual production of 240,000 bottles was too little to survive from, and 540,000 bottles should be the target. He then oriented production towards rosé, cashing in on a rising trend.”
In a profile on the Château, Lawther writes:
“Progress at Château de Sours has been startling since Martin Krajewski took over in 2004. Production then was 240,000 bottles. It has since risen to 600,000, with the vineyard expanding from 46ha to 85ha. Sales have followed suit, with demand almost outstripping supply. So what has been the recipe for success? ‘When I came on board we did a business plan and then I just went out and sold around the world,’ says the one-time city financial consultant. Rosé is the spearhead of the operation, representing over 50% of production.”
Château de Sours Rosé 2010
"Lively and extremely drinkable. Pale pink. Fresh summer fruit nose. Fruity attack but bone-dry finish. Drink 2011. 15.5/20 (3 stars)"
Decanter Magazine, Bordeaux 2010 supplement
