Bordeaux

Ausone takes its name from the Roman poet Ausonius who owned over 100 acres of vineyard around Saint Emilion. It is said that he owned a grand villa in “Lucaniac” (the ancient name for the town), although whether it occupied the exact same location as the present vineyard is perhaps a romantic notion.

The vineyard itself covers just 7-hectares on a steep southeast-facing incline, three-quarters on the actual côte and the remainder atop the cellars around the church (you can just see the vines in the photo at the top of the page.) The soil is a mixture of limestone and clay, becoming sandier on the lower reaches where the grapes exhibit slightly lower acidity.

Chateau Ausone possesses one of the most prized terroirs in all of Bordeaux.  It is quite hilly with clay limestone soils over a bed of Asteria limestone.  The vines are, on average, 50 years old and enjoy a southeastern exposure.

Plant Density: 6,500-12,600 plants/ha

Soil: Clay and limestone on a bed of Asteria limestone

Average Age of the Vines: 50 years old

Average Yield: 32 hl/ha

Annual Production: 18,000 bottles

Grape Varieties: 55% Cabernet Franc; 45% Merlot

Vinification: Traditional; depending on the vintage, fermentation and maceration last between 3-5 weeks in thermoregulated wooden vats

Aging: Up to 2 years in French oak barrels with 100% new wood

Serving Temperature: About 15°C

Food Pairings: This wine matches well with many different kinds of meat, as well as Asian dishes, and pasta

Plant Density: 6,500-12,600 plants/ha

Soil: Clay and limestone on a bed of Asteria limestone

Grape Varietals: 50% Cabernet Franc; 50% Merlot

Annual Production: 9,000 bottles

Vinification: Traditional; depending on the vintage, fermentation and maceration last between 3-5 weeks in thermoregulated wooden vats

Aging: Up to 2 years in French oak barrels with 100% new wood

Appellation: Pessac-Léognan

Owners: Sophie Lurton & Laurent Cogombles

Average Age of the Vines: 35 years old

Soil: Clayey-calcareous and gravel

Grape Varieties: Merlot 48%; Cabernet Sauvignon 42%; Malbec 10%

Average Production: 40 hl/ha

Alcohol Content: 14.5%

Vinification: Fermented in stainless steel and concrete tanks, aged in oak barrels (45% new oak)

Food Pairings: Enjoyable with game birds, various meats, and soft cheese such as a good Camembert.

Appellation: Pessac-Léognan-Grand vin de Graves (Bordeaux)

Town: Cadaujac

Owners: Sophie Lurton & Laurent Cogombles

Soil: Clay on limestone bedrock

Average Age of Vines: 35 years

Average Production: 40 hl /ha

Grape Varieties: 72% Merlot; 28% Cabernet Sauvignon

Vinification: Stainless steel tanks and concrete with temperature control by water circulation

Food Pairings: Seafood such as sole, bar, saint-pierre, cabillaud, salmon, trout, etc. White meat such as poultry, veal, sweetbreads. Roasted or braised red meat. Cheeses with character, refined with strong aromas. Hard cheeses like cantal, tomme, and comté.

Established in 1754 by Jacques Boyd, a man of Irish descent, the estate was purchased in 1806 by John Lewis Brown who was related to the Boyd family by marriage. Since the wines from Boyd-Cantenac had been recognized and traded for a century, in 1855 the château was classified Third Growth, in the Grand Cru classification of Bordeaux wines. The estate belonged to the Ginestet family, owners of Chateau Margaux, before coming to the current owners in the early 1930s. After the economic crisis which greatly affected the vineyards after the first world war, Pierre Guillemet brought Boyd-Cantenac back to life in the 1960s. Not a follower of changing and short-lived fashions, Boyd-Cantenac remains true to the style of traditional Margaux wines.

Owners: Famille Guillemet

Location: Cantenac

Appellation: Margaux

Classification: 3ème cru classé

Soil: Sand, gravel

Production Area: 17 ha

Average Age of the Vines: 35 years

Average Production: 70,000 bottles

Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon 67%, Merlot 20%, Cabernet Sauvignon 7%, Petit Verdot 6%

Harvest: The harvest, beginning with the Merlot, the most precocious of the varietals, is picked manually in order to allow rigorous selection. The harvest lasts anywhere from 10 to 25 days.

Vinification: Fermentation and maceration take place in both cement vats and stainless steel tanks, under strict surveillance and with numerous pumping-over. Maceration varies in length, depending on the characteristics of individual vintages, anywhere from around 8 to 35 days. The malolactic fermentation, takes place, in part, in barrels.

Aging: Traditionally, aging takes place in split oak barrels, as opposed to barrels made from sawed staves. The wines evolve for 12-24 months. During their stay in barrels, they separate from their lees, see their aromas develop, form their structure, and become stabilized.

Tasting Notes: Dark and dense, with complex aromas of fruit, enhanced by the barrel and bottle aging. In the mouth, the entry is supple and progressive; then comes a mouth filling volume, and at the end, the ripe tannins assure excellent aging capability. The general balance is always harmonious, aromatic, mouth filling, and elegant, characteristics of the traditional Margaux.

Chateau Branaire-Ducru was originally a part of Chateau Beychevelle, but in the 17th century it split off from that estate. The name “Branaire-Ducru” is derived from Jean Baptiste Braneyre and Gustave Ducru, former owners of the estate. On the label there are 4 crowns which stand for the last 4 members of the Duluc family to have owned the estate–a marquis, a viscount, a count, and a countess. Château Branaire-Ducru is a member of the Bordeaux Union of Grands Crus, of Médocʼs Council of Crus Classés and of the Bordeaux Wine Academy. It was awarded 4th growth classification in 1855.

Owner: Family group managed by Patrick Maroteaux, purchased in 1988

Winemaker: Jean-Dominique Videau

Consulting Oenologist: Jacques & Eric Boissenot

Location: The estate is situated in the southeastern most part of Saint-Julien. It is neighbors with Chateau Beychevelle, which lies between Branaire-Ducru, the Gironde, and Château Saint-Pierre. The vineyards run west-east in several plots close to the château.

Vineyard Area: 60ha, producing 300,000-350,000 bottles; Maroteaux has increased size of vineyard by 10 ha since purchase

Soil: Deep quaternary gravel with a clay subsoil

Grape Varieties: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit-Verdot

Average Age of the Vines: 35 years

Rootstock: 101/14, 3309 Riparia Gloire

Plant Density: 6,700-10,000 vines/ha

Cultivation: Sustainable viticulture system; traditional plowing between the rows, depending on soils and the behavior of the vines. Trellising and canopy management according to vineyard density and soil composition. New vineyards are planted with vines selected in the old vineyards and produced in the nursery.

Harvest: The entire vineyard is harvested by hand; harvest date for each plot is based on phenolic analysis and grape tastings.

Vinification: Fermentation takes place in a modern, well-equipped cellar. The must and juice is fed into the cellar by gravity rather than pump to begin its fermentation process in stainless steel tanks at a temperature of about 26-28 °C. Maceration lasts about 3 weeks, a period of time determined by tastings and adapted to each tank.

Aging: In oak barrels for 16-20 months with 60-65% new oak. The wood for the barrels is selected in various French forests according to their flavor and tannins. Traditional racking without pumping over. Fining in barrels with egg whites.

Annual Production: 350,000 bottles

*Second wine of Chateau Branaire-Ducru, named after the family who owned Branaire-Ducru in 1855 and who built the current château”

First Production: 1998

Average Age of Vines: Under 15 years

Grape Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit-Verdot

Vinification: Stainless steel tanks with temperature control.  Size of tanks adapted to size of vineyard plots.  Tanks are filled using gravity.  First modern winery to use the old-fashioned gravity flow system starting in 1991.

Fermentation Temperature: 26-28 °C

Maceration: 3 weeks, determined by tastings and adapted to each tank.  The blending is early, before the end of February following the harvest.

Maturation: Aging in oak barrels for 16-20 months with 60-65% new oak.  Wood is selected from various French forests according to its flavor and tannins.  Light toasting respecting the wineʼs fruit and aromatic purity.  Traditional rackings without pumpings.  Fining in barrels with egg whites.

Tasting Notes: Velvety, ruby red color.  On the nose, the fruity texture is suave and expressive, supported by notes of spice and smoke.  The palate mirrors the notes in the bouquet; the texture is velvety with distinct tannins.

Food Pairings: Pairs well with meat such as quail and veal, and cheeses like Brie or Tomme.

Serving Temperature: 18°C

Château Brane-Cantenac is a winery in the Margaux appellation of the Bordeaux wine region of France. The wine produced here was classified as one of fifteen Deuxièmes Crus (Second Growths) in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. The estate also produces a second wine named Baron de Brane, a label named Château Notton, and a generic Margaux.

The origins of Brane-Cantenac date back over 250 years.  Known as “Hostein” in the 18th century, this great wine estate was bought by the Gorce family, and produced one of the Medoc’s most renowned wines long before the 1855 classification. The name of the second wine, Baron de Brane, pays hommage to the famous Baron Jacques-Maxime de Brane, the “Napoléon des Vignes”, owner of the property in the 19th Century. For the past 4 generations, the Lurton family has been at the helm; they are devoted stewards who continue to ensure that the property flourishes, producing wines of the greatest quality. Since 1992, Henri Lurton has continued the journey that his father and ancestors began. Although a proponent of innovation and new technology, Henri is careful never to lose sight of the traditional values that remain an inherent part of Brane’s identity. Above all, he is proud of the unique terroir, and recognizes the need to treat the soil, vines, and grapes with immense respect.

Production Area: 75 hectares in the Margaux appellation.

Terroir: There are 3 main terroirs on the estate: the first and the most valued is a large sweep of gravel in front of the château at the top of the Margaux-Cantenac plateau.  The plateau de Brane has a thick layer of surface gravel, which provides both radiant heat to the vines as well as excellent drainage. The second section is centered around and behind the château; here there is still gravel, but a higher proportion of sandy soil, and no clay.  The third section is on the other side of the Route d’Arsac; this is La Verdotte, a 10-hectare vineyard planted 35 years ago; here the soil is a gravelly sand again. There is a fourth vineyard, Notton, a 13-hectare plot of coarse gravel over clay, and more distant from Brane-Cantenac than the other vines.

Plantation Density: 8,000 vines per hectare

Average Age of the Vines: 35 years old

Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon covers 55% of the vineyard, with 40% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc, and 0.5% Carmenère

Harvest: The fruit is picked by hand with typical yields around 45 hl/ha, and then transported to the cellar using the Air Tec system which cushions the fruit, protecting it from damage with its pneumatic suspension.  The freshly harvested fruit enjoys a cold soak; for wet vintages, the team uses concentration methods, reducing the water content of the must by vacuum extraction.

Vinification: The fermentation is induced by inoculation with yeast, and in the first few vats there may also be contemporaneous inoculation with malolactic bacteria. The fermentation is naturally temperature controlled, and may last between 7 and 10 days.  As it progresses, the wine can see a lot of handling, not only pumping over but sometimes pigeage and even délestage.  The fruit will see a maceration lasting between 20 and 30 days before pressing using two pneumatic presses, and both the free-run and press wines are then fed into barrels, using 60-70% new oak, ready for malolactic fermentation.

Overview: The name of the second wine honors Baron Hector de Brane, who owned the estate in the 19th century. Blended from vats carefully selected for their suppleness, it is aged just like the First Wine, but for a 12-month period.

Harvest Dates: September through October

Average Yield: 41 hl/ha

Percent of First Wine Produced: 33

Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

Barrel Aging: 12 months in 20% new French oak

Cellaring Potential: 10-15 years. At its best from 2015 onwards.

Tasting Notes: Attractive dark red hue with a highly aromatic nose typical of Margaux. In the mouth, a tight, smooth attack with a very fine balance of delicateness and soft, rounded tannins.

Margaux de Brane

Overview: Henri Lurton selects the youngest plots from the vineyard for Margaux de Brane. A silky, fruit-driven wine with impressive roundness and red fruit flavors, the wine is accessible in style. It offers an introduction to the wonders of the Margaux appellation and in particular to the signature style of Brane.

Grape Varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

Average Yield: 44.8 hl/ha

Aging: 12 months in cellar

Cellaring Potential: 5-10 years

Winemaker Notes: “Very expressive nose, bursting with strawberry and cherry aromas, with floral and vanilla hints. Sweet and subtle attack on the palate, very round bodied, with a velvety texture and a long aromatic finish. Charming wine with a lot of freshness and lovely soft tannins.”

The Bordeaux wine property Calon-Ségur was named after a small river skiff used in the Middle Ages to ferry timber across the Gironde estuary. This eventually inspired the name of the district which was at one point known as Calones or St. Estèphe de Calon.

Historic records show the estate was in existence as far back as 1147 when it was owned by Monseigneur de Calon, an important bishop in the community. Eventually, the Medoc property came to be owned by Nicolas Alexandre de Ségur.  After being passed from generation to generation, the estate became the property of the famous Marquis de Ségur. Marquis de Ségur was an important figure, not only for his ownership of the better Bordeaux estates of the day (Lafite and Latour), but for his long-lasting impact on the estate.  He is quoted as saying “I make my wine at Lafite and Latour, but my heart is in Calon.” That famous phrase lives on in the label of Chateau Calon-Ségur, where the drawing of a heart is prominently featured on the logo.

Château Calon-Ségur was once one of the original three Bordeaux wine vineyards in St. Estèphe. In 1825, Château Montrose was a parcel of forest belonging to the Calon-Ségur estate, similar to its near neighbor-Phelan Ségur-which was also once part of the great Ségur estate. Those holdings were so vast they included not only Lafite, but also Latour and Mouton! This was in the 18th century, at which point Calon-Ségur was already an ancient estate, having been in existence for at least five hundred years.

The modern era for Chateau Calon-Ségur began in 1894 when its Medoc vineyards were purchased by Georges Gasqueton and Charles Hanappier. The Gasqueton family managed the estate until 2012. More recently, the figurehead of Calon-Ségur was the charming, albeit eccentric, Madame Denise Gasqueton. She ran the estate while marching to the beat of her own drum until she passed away at the age of 87 in late September 2011. The following year, in July of 2012, Chateau Calon-Ségur was sold for 170 million euros, or approximately 215 million dollars. The buyer was the large French Insurance company, Suravenir.  Jean-Pierre Moueix, the owner of Petrus and the massive negociant company Duclot, took a minority stake in Chateau Calon-Ségur.

The style of Calon-Ségur wine is masculine and sturdy. It is tannic, structured, and traditional in its textures with a brawny body that often takes over a decade or two to become civilized.

The 131 acre Saint-Estephe vineyard of Calon-Ségur is one of the few remaining walled-in vineyards of the entire Bordeaux appellation.  The vines are on average about 35 years of age, and are composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 15% Cabernet Franc grapes.  The soils are a mixture of gravel, clay, and sand. Production for Chateau Calon-Ségur is, on average, close to 20,000 cases per year. There is a second wine, Marquis de Calon. The owners also control a cru bourgeois property, Chateau Capbern Gasqueton.

Appellation: Saint-Estèphe.  Third classified Growth in 1855.

Oenologist: Éric Boissenot

Soil: A thick layer of gravel laid down during the Quaternary Period.  Predominantly clay sub-soil from the Tertiary Period.  At the summit of the gravel deposits, there is also a fine layer of clay of lacustrine origin.

Vineyard Area: 55 ha (136 acres)

Planted Area: 45 ha (50 ha planted)

Grape Varieties: 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 7% Cabernet franc, 2% Petit Verdot

Average Age of Vines: 22 years

Training Method: Double Guyot

Planting Density: 8,000 vines/ha

Target Yield: 45 hl/ha

Harvest: Manual;  grapes are sorted twice, first by mechanical vibration, followed by hand sorting

Vinification: Temperature-controlled conical stainless-steel tanks. Maceration for 18 to 21 days

Aging: 17 months, 30% new barrels. Fining with egg white.

Average Annual Production: 80,000 bottles

Overview: An integral member of the Calon Ségur family, the third wine exhibits a freshness and fruitiness geared for immediate enjoyment. It is mainly sourced from the estate’s young vines with a balanced blend made up of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Formerly known as La Chapelle de Calon, then Le Saint-Estèphe de Calon Ségur, it took a new name with Le C de Calon Ségur since the vintage 2019. C like the third letter of the alphabet, for the third label of the estate. C like “Coeur”, the heart, symbol of the love carried by the Marquis de Ségur to the domaine, and singular distinctive sign of our bottles. C like Calon.

Appellation: Saint-Estèphe

Consulting Oenologist: Éric Boissenot

Soil: A thick layer of gravel laid down during the Quaternary Period. Predominantly clay sub-soil from the Tertiary Period. At the summit of the gravel deposits, there is also a fine layer of clay of lacustrine origin.

Vineyard Area: 55 hectares (136 acres)

Production Area: 45 hectares (50 ha planted)

Grape Varieties Planted: 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot.

Average Age of the Vines: 20 years old

Pruning Method: Double Guyot

Plant Density: 8,000 vines/hectare

Harvest: Hand picking. A first selection of grapes on the vine. Mechanical sorting of the grapes by vibration, followed by hand sorting.

Vinification: Temperature-controlled tronconical stainless-steel tanks. Vatting period for 18 to 21 days. Microbubbling. Co-inoculation, exogenous yeast and bacterias, in stainless steel tank at 25°C.

Aging: 16 months in 3 year barrels. Fining with egg white.

Terroir: The style of Camensac’s wines is explained by the geographical location and the micro-climate, with mild winters and hot summers but which is also oceanic, favoring healthy growth and well-ripened grapes, combined with a deep gravel terroir, brought by the river (Villafranchian gravel as in Pessac-Léognan and Gunzian gravel as in the St Julien appellation).

Production Area: 86 hectares

Soil: Fine and deep gravel on chalky clay substratum

Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

Plant Density: 10,000 vines/hectare

Average Age of the Vines: 20 years old

Viticulture: Ploughing. Sustainable agriculture and biodynamic trials on 7 hectares. HEV 3 (High Environmental Value) certification obtained in 2021 and implementation of an agroecological programme.

Harvest: Selective manual harvests, by grape variety, the age of the vines, and the terroir. Sorting of the grapes in the vineyard, then on reception of the harvest on a sorting table.

Vinification: Destemming and crushing. Alcoholic fermentation at 28°C (about 6 days) followed by maceration (about 3 weeks). Daily pumping over and/or punching down. Run-off and pressing (pneumatic press). Transfer to barrels. Malolactic fermentation in barrels

Aging: 14-18 months in French oak barrels (60% new barrels). Regular topping up and racking. Fining with egg white and a final racking before bottling.

Tasting Notes: The wine is bright and clear with a dark color. There are recurrent aromas of black pepper and rose. The structure is fine with plenty of substance on the mid-palate. This is a balanced, powerful wine. The finish is very long, recalling the red fruit of the initial nose with well-integrated oak.

Food Pairings: Wines often go very well with food or dishes from the same region! Here are some dishes that go well with Château de Camensac: Entrecote Bordelaise, roast duck, rack of lamb, tournedos with morel mushrooms, warm dark chocolate lava cake, etc. This list of dishes is not exhaustive. It can also be served with mini-appetizers, starters or cheeses.

Average Production: 200-300,000 bottles

Overview: La Closerie de Camensac is the second wine of Château Camensac.

Location: The vines are situated at the edge of the Saint-Julien appellation, in the commune of Saint-Laurent-Médoc.

Terroir: Gravelly and limestone soils

Grape Varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon (young vines)

Harvest: Hand picked

Vinification: In stainless steel and concrete tanks (epoxy lined) with temperature control

Tasting Notes: Well-balanced and elegant, this wine reveals notes of raspberry, prune, and toasted oak.

The origins of Chateau Cantemerle date back to the Middle Ages; documents from the year 1354 reveal that viticultural production was a major aspect of the estate almost from the very beginning.  It wasn’t until the 15th century, however, that wine making became the main industry of Cantemerle.  Ownership of the Chateau changed hands many times over the centuries, from the Villeneuve de Durfort family in 1579, to the Dubos family in 1892.  Today, it covers an area of about 90 hectares and is managed by SMABTP Group, one of the first insurance companies to take possession of a vineyard in Bordeaux.

The soils of Cantemerle are a combination of silica and gravel which are the result of erosion of the Pyrenees by the Garonne 1,000 years ago.  These soils have excellent filtration and good heat absorption, however they are poor in nutrients, resulting in hardy vines that produce grapes of high concentration.

Cantemerle is planted with vines on average about 30 years old; 60% are Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot.  Since the vines have to send their roots down deep into the soil in order to obtain the nutrients they require, the resulting grapes and wine express the terroir on an intimate level.

Vinification

The resulting grand vin is Château Cantemerle, with an annual production of about 25,000 cases.  In addition, there is a second wine, Les Allées des Cantemerle, of which 12,500 cases are typically produced.

Production Area: 87 hectares

Soil: Silica and gravel of the quaternary era

Grape Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc

Average Age of the Vines: 30 years old

Plant Density: 8,300 plants/ha

Growing Method: Médoc double Guyot; deleafing, grape thinning

Harvest: Manual with selective sorting in the vineyard; green harvest

Vinification: Total destemming, followed by hand-sorting before crushing of grapes.  Fermentation lasts 6-8 days at a controlled temperature of 26-28C.  Maceration for 28-30 days.

Aging: 12 months in French oak barrels (50% new wood).  Ultra light fining is done prior to bottling, but no filtration

Tasting Notes: Clean and lively, with leather and prune notes.  The structure is solid, with graceful tannins and volume on the palate.

Food Pairings: The Chateau Cantemerle is the perfect compliment to a grilled lamb chop

Overview: This is the Second Wine of Chateau Cantemerle which is produced from the estate’s younger vines.  Its is made using the same methods as the Grand Vin, and has similar characteristics but a shorter aging potential.  This wine is made to be consumed within several years of the vintage.

Grape Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,  Cabernet Franc

Vinification: Total destemming, followed by hand-sorting before crushing of grapes.  Fermentation lasts 6-8 days at a controlled temperature of 26-28C.  Maceration for 28-30 days.

Aging: 12 months in French oak barrels and vats.  Ultra light fining prior to bottling

Annual Production: 160,000 bottles

Tasting Notes: Consistently supple and elegant; Les Allées de Cantemerle has a full freshness and a delicate, pleasant fruitiness with notes of coffee and wild flowers.  Fine tannins, low acidity, and subtle aromas.

Cellaring Potential: To be consumed in its youth or within several years of its vintage

At the beginning of the 19th century, John Lewis Brown (1769-1851) bought an estate in the village of Cantenac; it was a traditional Tudor style château which reminded him of his Scottish origins. His name is forever linked to the Grand Cru Classé. His grandson, John Lewis Brown (1829-1890) – esteemed animal painter and “Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur” – spent time there during his childhood.

After the 1855 Grand Cru Classification, Louis Armand Lalande (1820-1894), Bordeaux wine merchant and owner of several estates in Médoc, expanded the estate.

José Sanfins presently manages Cantenac-Brown. He does his utmost to make the best of the magnificent terroir, lavishing the greatest of care on the soil and the vines, with great respect for the environment.  This meticulous attention to detail continues into the cellar, where everything possible is done to produce an exceptional wine.

Production Area: 48 ha

Soil: Gravelly

Grape Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc

Average Age of the Vines: 35 years old

Plantation Density: 8,500-10,000 vines/ha

Average Yield: 45 hl/ha

Pruning Method: Double Guyot; de-leafing, removal of secondary shoots, green harvest

Harvest: Manual harvest with 2 sorting operations (the first in the vineyard and the second before entering the vathouse)

Vinification: In temperature-controlled stainless steel vats.  Vatting lasts 15-25 days.  Malolactic fermentation occurs in barrels and vats.

Aging: In oak barrels for 12-15 months (50-70% new wood; 50-30% 1-year-old barrels).  Racking is carried out every 3 months. Fining is done using egg whites.

Annual Production: 11,000 cases

Overview: BriO is Chateau Cantenac Brown’s second wine. All plots are meticulously observed throughout the growth cycle from budding to the analysis of grape ripeness. The batches that are used to make Brio are chosen largely as a result of these observations.

Production Area: 48 ha

Grape Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc

Plantation Density: 8,500-10,00 plants/ha

Average Yield: 4,500 liters/ha

Pruning Method: Double Guyot; de-leafing, removal of secondary shoots, green harvest

Harvest: Manual harvest with 2 sorting operations (the first in the vineyard and the second before entering the vathouse)

Vinification: In temperature-controlled stainless steel vats.  Vatting lasts 15-20 days.  Malolactic fermentation occurs in barrels and vats.

Aging: In oak barrels for 12 months (20-25% new wood).  Racking is carried out every 3 months. Fining is done using egg whites.

Annual Production: 7,500 cases

Tasting Notes: Deep, garnet color with crimson highlights.  Nose of red fruit, vanilla, and oak.  Harmonious, full, and velvety on the palate; warm, well-balanced, and lively.  Seamless with a taut finish framed by freshness.

Vinification: The vinification is carried out by slow and gentle extraction in order to preserve the roundness of the wine and the mineral features of the soil. The tannins are well balanced and silky in harmony with red fruit notes (blackcurrant, blackberry, cherry) and reveal toasted notes from aging in the finest quality French oak barrels.  Only the very best batches tasted are selected for the final blending of Château Carbonnieux red.

Aging: 16-18 months in barrels (35% new oak)

Grape Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc

Winemaker Notes: “Its deep colour, complexity and fruity intensity, freshness and tannic density allow you to imagine its enormous potential. A wine that can be kept for a very long time.”

Food Pairings: Grilled, roasted, or stewed meats, swordfish, tuna fish, cheese, chocolate desserts, etc.

Serving Temperature: 18-19°C

Cellaring Potential:  6 years minimum

Appellation: Pessac-Léognan

Production Area: 42 ha

Soil: Clay-gravel and clay-limestone

Average Age of Vines: 28 years

Grape Blend: Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon

Vineyard Management: Sustainable agriculture

Pruning: Cot or Guyot-poussart

Harvest: Hand harvesting.  The grapes are sorted on the wine and on the sorting table.

Vinification: Gentle and slow pressing using inert gas – cold clarification.  Fermenting and aging in oak barrels (2 volumes) and oak vats.

Aging: Barrel aging for 10 months (25% new oak) with lees stirring.

Average Yield: 25hl/ha

Overview: Château Tour Léognan was originally a separate estate bordering Château Carbonnieux. When Marc Perrin acquired the two properties in 1956 and began a program of replanting the vineyard, Château Tour Léognan became the second wine of Carbonnieux. From the start, its wines have been crafted from the young Château Carbonnieux vines (under 12 years old). Each year, 3 hectares (7.5 acres) are pulled up and replanted 2 or 3 years later.
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the red wines reflect the rich mineral variety of the soils, so specific to the Pessac-Leognan terroir. They are full-bodied, well-balanced and slightly oaky. Lively, aromatic, dynamic, and fruity, the white wines of Château Tour Leognan are decidedly very pleasant and easy to drink when young. The red wines are best enjoyed around 5 years old, and the whites around 3 years old.

Owner: SCEA A. Perrin & Fils

Co-Managers: Eric & Philibert Perrin

Vineyard Master: Freddy Flé

Oenologist: Andréa Perrin

Consultant: Christophe Ollivier

Appellation: Pessac-Léognan

Production Area: 10 ha

Soil: Deep gravel and clay-limestone

Grape Blend: Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot

Planting Density: 7,200 vines/ha

Average Age of Vines: 8 years

Viticulture: Environmentally friendly growing for sustainable agriculture (Member of the 1st ISO 14001 certified Bordeaux EMS Association).  HVE3 Labelled (High Environmental Value Level 3)

Training Method: Cot or Guyot-Poussart pruning

Harvest: Hand picking – 3 grape sortings

Vinification: Vatting 3-4 weeks in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks

Aging: Barrel aging for 12 months (30-40% new oak)

Tasting Notes: Round, fruity, and lightly oaked, making it easily approachable when young. Moreover, it is marked by the mineral notes and smoky character which is so appreciated in wines from Léognan.

Overview: Château Tour Léognan is produced from young vines grown on the estate of Chateau Carbonnieux. Château Carbonnieux employs sustainable agriculture on all of its properties, meaning all chemical insecticides, weed-killers, and acaricides are banned and replaced by environmentally friendly methods that better respect biodiversity and allow the vine plant to stimulate its own natural defenses.

Production Area: 5 ha

Soil: Deep gravel & clay-limestone

Average Age of the Vines: 10 years old

Grape Blend: Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon

Vinification: The grapes are hand harvested with great care, then gently crushed in oxygen-free conditions using a pneumatic press. After 3-4 days of settling in vats at low temperature, fermentation continues in barrels by batches, depending on the plots they originally came from.

Aging: The wine is matured in 30% new oak barrels for 9 months, with lees stirring which lends body and fullness to the wine. After blending, the wine is fined using a natural mineral clay. The wines are then bottled and left to rest in the cellars for a few months before delivery.

Annual Production: 30,000 bottles

Tasting Notes: This wine is a pure pleasure to drink; there are notes of citrus in the bouquet and a fleshy, elegant mouth feel. This lively and fruity blend is rounded out by the sweetness and fattiness of the Sémillon grapes.

Food Pairings: Oysters, fish, seafood, raclette, white meat, goat cheese, citrus desserts

Serving Temperature: 12- 14°C

Chasse-Spleen was originally one piece of a much larger estate in Haut-Médoc called Chateau Grand-Poujeaux.  There was a split in 1822, and what was once Grand-Poujeaux became 4 smaller estates: Chateau Gressier-Grand-Poujeaux, Chateau Poujeaux-Theil, Chateau Maucaillou, and Chateau Chasse-Spleen.

The origins of the name “Chasse-Spleen” are foggy, but often attributed to Lord Byron who visited the estate in 1821. Byron was so moved during his stay that he was quoted as exclaiming, “Quel remede pour chasser le spleen!” or (loosely): “What better remedy to dispel melancholy!”

Chateau Chasse Spleen was owned by the Castaing family until the start of World War I when it was purchased by a German wine merchants. It was later confiscated as enemy property during the war and sold at an auction in 1922 to the Lahary family.

In 1976, the estate was bought by the Merlaut family, owners of Chateau Gruaud Larose, Chateau Ferriere, Chateau Citran, and Chateau Haut Bages Liberal, as well as a successful négociant business. Under the management of patriarch Jacques Merlaut and his daughter, Bernadotte Villars, several changes were made: the production area was increased from 40 to 80 hectares, large portions of the vines were replanted to increase vine density, and the wine making facilities were modernized.

Jacques’ daughter Bernadette later assumed control of Chateau Chasse Spleen, and with consultation from Emile Peynaud, the quality of the wines produced went up considerably.  Bernadette and her husband sadly passed away in 1992 after a mountaineering accident, and management of the estate was passed on to her daughter, Claire Villars.

Production Area: 80 hectares

Terroir: Gravel, clay, and chalk soil

Grape Varieties: 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 7% Petit Verdot

Average Age of the Vines: 30 years old

Plantation Density: 8,000-10,000 vines per hectare

Vinification: Vinified in a combination of stainless steel tanks and wooden vats. Malolactic fermentation takes place in vat.

Aging: In French oak barrels (40% new) for 12-15 months before bottling.

Cellaring Potential: 8-15 years

Annual Production: About 40,000 cases

Overview: The history and evolution of a vineyard through inheritances, purchases, and regoupings of lands can lead to the association of several AOC within the same estate.  Chasse-Spleen was established long before the AOC notion even existed, and as a result, some of its plots no longer belong to the same appellation.  Today, they own 12 hectares in the appellation of Haut-Médoc.  The INAO recognizes the notion of organization into a hierarchy for the Médoc AOC.  This means that every single wine produced in Haut-Médoc and in communal appellations (Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Moulis, Marguax) is, before all else, a Haut-Médoc wine, while the opposite is not necessarily true.  Only the plots that produce exclusively within these demarcated appellations may claim the communal AOC.  In this way, some Moulis plots can lawfully also claim their Haut-Médoc appellation.  This way, an average of 20 hectares of Haut-Médoc land produces l’Héritage de Chasse-Spleen.

At first known as Ermitage de Chasse Spleen, this wine had to be given a new name in 2000 because of homonymy reasons.  Being born under the best auspices while inheriting all the care brought to the Grand Vin, this new name seemed very appropriate.

Tasting Notes: Brilliant garnet color.  Aromas of cassis, black cherry, and a touch of minerality.  Supple and fresh on the palate.

Since 1881 and until Sylvie Cazes and her children took over in May 2014, the Ondet family took great care of Château Chauvin and gave it all their know-how.  Sylvie Cazes, a passionate winegrower who fell for the charms of this beautiful property, now wants to give Chauvin every opportunity for success in this new page in its history.  As a result, after buying the property, she undertook an ambitious program of restructuring of the viticultural and winemaking techniques.  With precision and rigor, with respect for the terroir of Saint-Emilion and the conditions specific to each vintage, Sylvie Cazes and her team have created elegant, balanced, feminine and classy wines with the potential for aging.

Château Chauvin is located to the northwest of Saint-Émilion, halfway between Cheval Blanc and the Butte de Rol, close to the Pomerol appellation.
The soil at Chauvin is sandy clay, benefiting from the presence of a pseudogley and an iron-rich subsoil similar to that found in parts of Pomerol.  Thanks to its lower water retention capacity, the soil rapidly succumbs to water shortages, thus allowing the grapes to ripen more quickly.  The efficient drainage of the entire vineyard also allows run-off of water during the wettest periods.

The vineyard is in a single block surrounding the property, thereby facilitating the meticulous vineyard work carried out by the team at the Château.  It is mostly planted with Merlot (75%), which expresses itself admirably in this vineyard.  The areas showing the most clay are planted with Cabernet Franc (20%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (5%), varieties that fit in perfectly with this type of soil.  The vineyard is managed with the greatest respect for the terroir, so as to bring out its purest expression.  Sylvie Cazes and her team strive to produce a wine that is a faithful reflection of the land.

Owner: Sylvie Cazes

Consultant Oenologist: Michel Rolland

Technical Manager: Jérémie Gravier

Location: To the north-west of Saint-Emilion, between Cheval Blanc and the Butte de Rol

Grape Varieties: Merlot 75%, Cabernet Franc 20%, Cabernet Sauvignon 5%

Average Age of the Vines: 30 years

Plant Density: 7,000 vines / hectare

Production Area: 15 hectares

Soil: Sandy-clay soil with the presence of ferruginous sandstone, clay sub-soil

Annual Production: 50,000 bottles of 1st wine, 20,000 bottles of 2nd wine

Viticulture: HVE certification (High Environmental Value) level 3. Mechanical working of the soil between the vines and central grass cover. Manual viticulture: trunk cleaning, leaf removal and thinning out. Use of sexual confusion.

Harvest: By hand, in open crates of small capacity. Hand sorting in the vineyard and double hand sorting in the cellar.

Vinification: Cold skin contact for 2 to 5 days at around 8°C before fermentation. Alcoholic fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks. Malolactic fermentation in barrel. Skin contact for 20 to 30 days – slow and gentle extraction

Aging: French oak barrels for 15-18 months, 60% new barrels.

Label: A Château Chauvin label that had been used in 1929 really appealed to Sylvie, who decided to use it as the model for the creation of a new label. After that, the graphic research went back to the meaning of the word “chauvin”. To be “chauvin” in French means to be proud of your land, to love your land. To illustrate these values, a symbol was added to the original label dating from 1929: Cupid, god of Love, proudly displays a banner depicting the emblematic lion of Saint Emilion, overlooking his land with a watchful eye. As from the 2014 vintage, this symbol appears on the label of Château Chauvin to represent the attachment to the terroir of Saint-Emilion.