Chateau Guadet 2014 Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 750ml

Chateau Guadet carries genuinely dramatic history behind its name — the estate takes its name from Marguerite-Élie Guadet, a Girondin politician and mayor of Saint-Émilion, who famously hid in the tunnels snaking beneath the village during the Revolution before ultimately meeting the guillotine; he's pictured directly on the label, and the village's main street still carries his name today. Known as Château Guadet Saint-Julien from 1844 until 2005, the estate changed its name to avoid confusion with the more famous Saint-Julien appellation in the Médoc. Chateau Guadet was even one of four Saint-Émilion estates to formally sue and contest the results of the controversial 2006 classification review, after being demoted; it was reinstated to Grand Cru Classé status in 2012.

The estate is now run by Guy-Petrus Lignac and his son Vincent, who returned to the property after years working abroad in the United States, Chile, Spain, and Australia. Guy-Petrus began converting the vineyard to organic farming in 2008, achieving certification in 2013, while Vincent pushed the estate further into biodynamic practice, certified since 2015. The small, 5.5-hectare vineyard sits directly in the heart of the village of Saint-Émilion, on the limestone plateau just 50 meters from the village's north gate, planted to 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc for this vintage. Grapes are hand-harvested and sorted, fermented naturally with native yeasts in cement vats, then aged 12 to 20 months in a genuinely thoughtful mix of barrels, amphorae, and tuns, adjusted according to how the wine is evolving.

The critical reception has been genuinely strong. Le Figaro Vin awarded 93/100. Neal Martin, writing for Vinous, scored the wine 91/100. Vertdevin's detailed tasting found the nose revealing "notes of ripe fruit (blackberry, strawberry, raspberry…) and slight notes of peony and black pepper combined with a very slight hint of truffle," the palate "balanced, dense, complex and fruity," expressing "notes of juicy blueberry, strawberry, raspberry and blackberry combined with very slight notes of chocolate and mocha, toasted notes and black pepper on the finish," the tannins "fine, numerous, tight and slightly grainy" with "good length." CellarTracker's community found the wine showing "fresh cherry, strawberry, hint of cedar," and "very well balanced" when tasted alongside the 2010 and 2015 vintages. This is genuinely well-reviewed, biodynamically farmed Saint-Émilion — real, dramatic history behind a small estate producing world-class wine from the very center of the village.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Chateau Guadet 2014 Saint-Émilion Grand Cru is produced by Chateau Guadet, a 5.5-hectare Grand Cru Classé estate located in the heart of the village of Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, on the limestone plateau 50 meters from the village's north gate. The estate is farmed by Guy-Petrus Lignac and his son Vincent, organically certified since 2013 and biodynamically certified since 2015.

The 2014 vintage is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, hand-harvested and sorted, fermented naturally with native yeasts in cement tanks, with extraction carried out through pumping over. The wine ages 12 to 20 months in a mix of barrels, amphorae, and tuns, adjusted according to the wine's evolution. Average annual production is roughly 2,000 cases.

Critics Reviews

Le Figaro Vin — 93/100

Neal Martin, Vinous — 91/100

Vertdevin (extended tasting note):
"The nose reveals notes of ripe fruit (blackberry, strawberry, raspberry…) and slight notes of peony and black pepper combined with a very slight hint of truffle. The palate is balanced, dense, complex and fruity. In the mouth it expresses notes of juicy blueberry, strawberry, raspberry and blackberry combined with very slight notes of chocolate and mocha, toasted notes and black pepper on the finish. Tannins are fine, numerous, tight and slightly grainy. Good length."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Ripe blackberry, strawberry, and raspberry lead, joined by peony and black pepper, alongside a slight hint of truffle and cedar.

Palate
Balanced, dense, and complex, with juicy blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry carrying real fruit intensity, developing chocolate and mocha, framed by fine, tight, slightly grainy tannin.

Finish
Toasted, with black pepper and good length — genuinely well-balanced and mature.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Rich fish dishes, including tuna
• Mushroom-forward dishes
• Pasta with rich sauces
• Asian cuisine