Founded 200 years ago, Château Pédesclaux is a magnificent estate, both in terms of wine and architecture. It combines the beauty of the 19th century with the modernity and technological advances of the 21st.
The additional work was undertaken by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, whose aim was to place “production at the heart of the estate within a high-performance building that is entirely fit for purpose and makes a harmonious whole with both the château and its surroundings”. It's quite something to behold.
Since the Lorenzetti family took ownership they've converted to organic. Their top wine is a rich, Cabernet-based claret, supported by Merlot, and finely expresses its gravel terroir. Still a young wine – best to cellar or open early.
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Foraged seasonal flora from the internationally important Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, are a big part of what makes this gin unique.
The famous gardens in London have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003. They span 320 acres, employ 750 staff (a third are scientists) and house a truly extraordinary collection of trees, plants and fungi. For distiller Darren Rook Kew Gardens offer a cornucopia of botanicals, though he does supplement these with other organic botanicals from around the world. The gin is distilled in Battersea in a 140 litre copper pot still known as Christina (all stills are given names!). It is non-chill filtered, hand bottled and hand labelled, featuring a design inspired by the many plant drawings in Kew’s archives.
