Learn everything about Chateau Le Boscq St. Estephe with wine tasting notes and wine with food pairing tips. Learn the best vintages, a history of the property, information on the vineyards and winemaking. If you want to read about other Bordeaux wine producers: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles
Chateau Le Boscq History, Overview
Chateau Le Boscq enjoys a long history in the Saint Estephe appellation as it dates all the way back to early in the 18th century. At the time of its creation, the chateau was built for Thomas Barton, better known today for owning Chateau Leoville Barton and Chateau Langoa Barton in St. Julien.
However, the rebirth of the estate took place in 1995, when the Dourthe group, which also owns the massive negociant company, CVGB as well as other estates in the Medoc and St. Emilion took over management of the estate. Once the new management took over, the entire estate was renovated. The old wood fermentation vats were removed and replaced by modern, stainless tanks.
In January 2022, Maison Dourthe purchased the entire estate adding to their significant holdings. Dourthe already owns several vineyards in Bordeaux in the Left Bank, Pessac Leognan, and the Right Bank including Chateau Belgrave, Haut Medoc, Chateau La Garde, and Chateau Grand Barrail in St. Emilion. THey own other vineyards as well.
Chateau Le Boscq Vineyards Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking
The 20 hectare Left Bank vineyard of Chateau Le Boscq is planted to 56% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. The vineyard is situated in the cooler terroirs found in the northern end of the St. Estephe appellation.
The vines are on average 30 years of age. However, the property also has some nice, very old vines which are more than 50 years of age. The vineyard is in one large block of vines, which is unusual in the Medoc. The vineyard is planted to a vine density of 8,888 vines per hectare. The terroir is gravel and clay soils.
To produce the wine of Chateau Le Boscq, the grapes are vinified in temperature-controlled, stainless vats that range in size from 64 hectoliters up to 120 hectoliters. However, a small portion of the harvest is micro-vinified, meaning it was fermented and aged entirely in the barrel.
The range vat in sizes allows for more precise vinification on a parcel by parcel basis. Malolactic fermentation takes place in tank. The wine of Chateau Le Boscq is aged in an average of 45% new, French oak barrels for about 12 months before bottling. There is a second wine, Heritage de le Bosque. The annual production of Chateau Le Boscq is about 11,000 cases of wine per vintage.
The best vintages of Chateau Le Boscq are: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2010, 2009 and 2005.
Aside from Chateau Le Boscq, Dourthe owns several other Bordeaux vineyards including: Chateau Belgrave Haut Medoc, Chateau La Garde Pessac Leognan, Chateau Rahoul Graves, Chateau Reysson Haut-Medoc, and in the Right Bank, Chateau Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac St. Emilion, and Chateau Pey-La-Tour Bordeaux Superieur.
When to Drink Chateau Le Boscq, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time
Chateau Le Boscq can be enjoyed early. However, the wine is often better with at least a few years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage.
Chateau Le Boscq is usually best enjoyed in the first 8-15 years of life. Young vintages can be decanted for 1 hour or so. 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 Le Boscq and wine, food pairing tips
Chateau Le Boscq is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.
Chateau Le Boscq is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, and roast chicken. Depending on the vintage, Le Boscq is at its best with 5 to 8 years of bottle age, but of course, that varies, with the character of the vintage.
Château Le Boscq Wine Tasting Notes
18 Vintages 70,976 Views Sort by Vintage-Rating
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2023
Château Le Boscq (St. Estèphe)
Black currants, espresso, chocolate and tobacco leaf notes are all over the wine in the perfume, and on the palate. The wine is forward, soft, polished, and energetic, with a bright, yet, soft-textured finish. Drink from 2026-2040. 90-92 Pts. 1,108 Views Tasted May 4, 2024 |
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2022
Château Le Boscq (St. Estèphe)
Sweet, black currants, spice, tobacco leaf, and espresso nuances are all over the wine in the perfume, and on the palate. The fruits are ripe, creamy, and polished, with a display of chocolate, and black currants in the mid-palate and finish. Drink from 2025-2040. 91-93 Pts. 2,769 Views Tasted May 8, 2023 |
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2021
Château Le Boscq (St. Estèphe)
Blackberries, spice, tobacco leaf, cherries, currants and flowers pop in the nose. The palate is even better with all of its chewy, fresh, black and red fruits, peppery spice, and leafy, savory accents. Drink from 2024-2038. 714 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2024Flowers, tobacco leaf, dark cherries and leafy herbs with a touch of cocoa hit you in the nose and on the medium-bodied, classic, bright-edged palate. Drink from 2024-2036. 89-91 1,750 Views Tasted May 20, 2022 |
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2020
Château Le Boscq (St. Estèphe)
Dried flowers, toasty oak, currants, licorice, smoke and cocoa come in strong in the perfume. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, fresh, chewy and vibrant, with nuances of mint and chocolate that come through on the back end. Drink from 2025-2040. 1,529 Views Tasted Mar 21, 2023With a touch of smoke, herbs, blackberries and spicy cassis on the nose, the wine fresh, sweet and juicy and a crisp, almost crunchy, red berry finish. Give this medium-bodied wine 3-5 years in the cellar before a cork. 90-92 Pts 2,953 Views Tasted Jun 3, 2021 |
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2019
Château Le Boscq (St. Estèphe)
The tobacco, wet earth, dark cherries, smoke, and spice nuances come through easily on the nose. On the palate, the wine is even better with loads of bright, fresh, spicy, chewy red berries with ample freshness. Rounding everything out, the finish lingers with a nice spicy touch with just a hint of chocolate in the endnote. Drink from 2024-2038. 3,114 Views Tasted Mar 29, 2022With good color, the wine is fresh, fruity, round and deep. The finish is all about the ripe, juicy, earthy, blackberries, cigar wrapper, spice and espresso notes that carry. This is another top vintage for Chateau Le Boscq and will age quite nicely. The wine is blended from 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot with 2% Cabernet Franc. 91-93 Pts 5,019 Views Tasted Jun 8, 2020 |
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2018
Château Le Boscq (St. Estèphe)
Full-bodied, with layers of sweet, ripe, dark red fruits, round tannins, cedar, spice, coffee bean and earth all come together nicely. Rich, fruity and packed with ample, spicy, dark red berries and a supple textured finish. Give this at least 5 years in the cellar before pulling a cork. 2,831 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2021Deep in color, the tobacco, cigar box, dark red fruit, vanilla and licorice aromas tell the story. With ample levels of ripe, lush, soft, polished textures and a juicy finish, this is a top vintage for Chateau Le Boscq and will age quite nicely. 91-93 pts 4,085 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2019 |
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2017
Château Le Boscq (St. Estèphe)
Ethereal maroon in hue, the wine is resonant with fleshy, vibrant fruit. The tannins are soft and only a few years are needed to bring out even more complexity. 3,036 Views Tasted Apr 26, 2018 |
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2016
Château Le Boscq (St. Estèphe)
There is intensity, concentration, depth of flavor and strong character here. The wine is packed with ripe, dark fruits, spice, earth and really delivers a serious mouthful of chewy fruit here. Clearly the best vintage of Le Boscq ever produced. 4,122 Views Tasted Sep 21, 2019The color of that burgundy lipstick from 1986, this wine isn’t shy about showing off its soft, forward, ripe, sweet, dark red fruits, swanky textures and open style. This is the one your mother warned you about. You can drink her shortly after release and she will age well. Oenophile’s choice. 5,146 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2017 |
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2015
Château Le Boscq (St. Estèphe)
Red currants, tobacco leaf, espresso, and flowers are at the core of this medium-bodied, forward, easy-to-drink wine. Drink from 2022-2033. 2,750 Views Tasted Aug 23, 2022Oaky with a spicy, red berry personality, this medium-bodied wine is complicated by aromas of earth and tobacco. 85 - 87 Pts 2,267 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2016 |
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2014
Château Le Boscq (St. Estèphe)
The nose is oaky yet there is a wealth of ripe, dark, red berries and sweet earth bold enough to compete with the initial essence of oak. Give this wine a few years to develop and come together. 87-89 Pts 3,350 Views Tasted Apr 13, 2015 |
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2013
Château Le Boscq (St. Estèphe)
Light in color, with a bright red berry character that focuses on red plum and cranberry, moving from sweet to tart. 84-86 Pts 2,130 Views Tasted Apr 20, 2014 |
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2012
Château Le Boscq (St. Estèphe)
Medium bodied, forward, direct, easy drinking with a black cherry, spice and oaky personality. 3,196 Views Tasted May 15, 2015 |
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2011
Château Le Boscq (St. Estèphe)
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, the wine offers earth, cedar and spicy cassis, medium body and a bright cranberry and cassis finish. 87-88 Pts 2,963 Views Tasted Apr 8, 2012 |
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2010
Château Le Boscq (St. Estèphe)
Medium bodied, tannic, with good freshness, smoke, tobacco, crisp blackberry and earth, this blend of 51% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot will definitely be better, and hopefully soften with 2-5 years of bottle age. 2,847 Views Tasted Mar 19, 2014 |
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2009
Château Le Boscq (St. Estèphe)
One of the better value wines from St. Estephe, from a blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Petit Verdot, the wine is medium bodied with notes of coffee bean, dark cherries, stone and earth. Round in texture, there is a nice black raspberry sensation in the finish. 3,451 Views Tasted Mar 15, 2014 |
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2008
Château Le Boscq (St. Estèphe)
Easy drinking, medium bodied, bright red fruit, earth, spice and tobacco stuffed wine that is ready for consumption. 1,920 Views Tasted Feb 10, 2019 |
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2005
Château Le Boscq (St. Estèphe)
A nice value Bordeaux wine here, with lots of spicy cassis, earth and blackberries. This medium bodied wine is ready to drink now and over the next few years. 4,164 Views Tasted Aug 5, 2013 |
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2004
Château Le Boscq (St. Estèphe)
Austere, firm, crunchy, cassis and cranberry notes with a spicy, earthy, tobacco and crisp red berry finish. 3,762 Views Tasted Jan 4, 2015 |
