The Thienponts have been associated with greatness in Bordeaux for many years, most notably on the right bank, in St Emilion (Pavie Macquin, Larcis Ducasse) and in Pomerol (Le Pin, Vieux Château Certan).  In 1979 Luc Thienpont took a bold leap to the left bank and ran Château Labegorce Zede in Margaux, to great acclaim.  Expanding upon this success, Luc took over a second Margaux property, Château Tayac-Plaisance.  This red wine is produced from three parcels of old vines covering 3.5 hectares that lie between the villages of Soussans and Tayac, where the deep gravel soils produce pure and intense fruit.

 

The grape varieties include 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot & 10% Petit Verdot.  On the nose this wine is wonderfully complex showing liquorice, leather, dried violets and preserved plums.  This wine has a natural sweetness on the palate that is balanced by a linear structure from extremely fine tannins.  Having had time to evolve in the bottle, the wine is sumptuous with all elements well integrated.  A lesson in the refinement of Margaux and the skill of a master wine maker.