France · Bordeaux

Gracia

Chateau Gracia is a micro-estate Saint-Émilion Grand Cru producer operated by Michel and Christine Gracia from approximately 4 hectares of old-vine Merlot on clay and limestone soils near Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes, on the eastern plateau of the Saint-Émilion appellation. Michel Gracia, a stonemason by trade, began the project in 1997, applying the same artisanal precision to viticulture that he brought to his craft work. The estate is a classic Saint-Émilion garagiste in the Gracia family tradition — tiny production (under 1,000 cases), manual sorting, parcel-by-parcel vinification, and high concentration from low yields. Les Angelots de Gracia is the second wine. Parker's Wine Advocate has awarded scores in the 95–100 range across multiple vintages, including 100 points for the 2000 — a score that established Gracia's legend among Right Bank micro-estate collectors. At auction, Gracia averages $113 per bottle across 211 lots with peaks reaching $1,195. The $113 average understates the trophy-vintage premium: 2000, 2005, and 2009 Gracia command prices of $400–$1,195 while more recent, lesser-scored vintages bring the average down significantly. The 2003 Gracia, from a challenging hot vintage, also attracted strong scores and demonstrated the estate's old-vine concentration providing buffer against heat stress that younger, shallower-rooted vineyards cannot achieve.