Chateau Pipeau St. Emilion Bordeaux, Complete Guide

Learn everything about Chateau Pipeau St. Emilion with wine tasting notes, wine, and food pairing tips, best vintages, a history of the property, information on the vineyards and winemaking, and terroir. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles

Chateau Pipeau History, Overview

Chateau Pipeau is managed by Jean Mestreguilhem, the current owner and director of the property.

Chateau Pipeau takes its name from the meaning of the French term for a reed pipe. Dominique Lauret and Richard Mestreguilhem are also family partners in the neighboring estate Chateau Pindefleurs, another vineyard that is located in the Saint Emilion appellation.

Chateau Pipeau Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking

The 25 hectare Right Bank vineyard of Chateau Pipeau is planted to 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. The terroir is sand, gravel, and clay soils. They have parcels in a myriad of different locations in the Saint Emilion appellation, which in some vintages can make it difficult to harvest grapes fully ripened, across the board.

The vineyard has old vines, with an average vine age of close to 30 years. The vineyard is planted to a vine density of 6,600 vines per hectare. The vineyards are harvested using a combination of machine harvesting and handpicking.

To produce the wine of Chateau Pipeau, the wines are vinified in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks. Although, in select vintages, a portion of the Cabernet Sauvignon is left to age in the stainless steel vats.

Malolactic fermentation takes place in vat. The wine of Chateau Pipeau is then aged in an average of 70% new, French oak barrels for between 12 to 14 months before bottling.

The Best Vintages of Chateau Pipeau are: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2012, 2010, 2009 and 2005.

On average, Chateau Pipeau produces close to 12,500 cases of wine per year.

When to Drink Chateau Pipeau, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Chateau Pipeau is better with at least 3-4 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage. Chateau Pipeau is best enjoyed in the first 3-12 years of life.

Young vintages can be decanted for about 1 hour. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.

Serving Chateau Pipeau, with Wine and Food Pairings

Chateau Pipeau is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.

Chateau Pipeau is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Chateau Pipeau is also good when matched with Asian dishes, rich fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta.

In the best vintages, Chateau Pipeau can offer a charming, easy-drinking wine with a forward character for a fair price.

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