Château Ausone
Overview
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.
The Terroir
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.
Acreage: 7 Ha
Soil: Clay & Limestone on a bed of Asteria limestone
Grape Varietals: 55% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot
Age of the vines: Since many vines escaped the devastating frosts of 1956, the average age is an impressive 45 to 50 years.
Plant-density: 6500-12000 plants/Ha
Average Yield: 32 hL/Ha
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
Château Ausone Saint-Émilion
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
Chapelle d'Ausone
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
Château Bouscaut
Overview
Château Bouscaut is one of the 6 Grands Crus Classés of Graves for both its white and red wines, in the Pessac-Léognan appellation. Sophie Lurton has been running Bouscaut, along with husband Laurent Cogombles for over 20 years.
Situated 34 m above sea level, Château Bouscaut’s vineyards spread out facing due south on the highest part of Cadaujac, a commune on the left bank of the Garonne River.
Château Bouscaut’s second-label wine is Les Chênes de Bouscaut. Château Lamothe-Bouscaut and Château Valoux are also part of the Bouscaut galaxy. They are all situated in the commune of Cadaujac.
History
Bouscaut’s vineyard has existed since the 17th century on the commune of Cadaujac, a Graves appellation at that time. Called Haut Truchon, it was renamed Château Bouscaut after the name on the land register in 1881 .
The various owners throughout the twentieth century were very dedicated to improving and transforming both the vineyard and the château. In the thirties, the domain was cited as being a model estate by the Chamber of Agriculture and a race horse called Château Bouscaut won first prize in the coveted Maisons Lafitte race. In the same period, a tower was added to the main residential building and cellars were erected next to it.
The winner of many medals, the wines of Château Bouscaut were widely recognized. Consecration came in 1953, when Bouscaut was awarded the envied status of Graves Cru Classé, for both its white and red wines.
In 1962, the château was completely destroyed by a fire while the cellars remained untouched. The owner, Victor Place, oversaw its reconstruction, to the exact original plans, before selling it to a group of investors from New York in 1968. The new owners brought in the directors of Haut-Brion to manage it.
Bouscaut was then acquired in 1979 by Lucien Lurton, a well known Bordeaux winemaker who already owned at least ten other prestigious châteaux in appellations such as Margaux (Brane-Cantenac) or Barsac (Climens),…. This passionate viticulturist recognized the potential and exceptional terroir of Château Bouscaut.
Sophie Lurton, Lucien’s daughter has been looking after Bouscaut since 1992. Laurent Cogombles, her husband, an agronomist, has also been very involved since 1997. Laurent is also the current President of the Appellation Pessac-Léognan.
Today, Château Bouscaut continues its journey, led with enthusiasm and innovation by its owners and team.
Château Bouscaut has recently joined a program of environmentally friendly practices.
Wine tourism is permanently evolving with various workshops available to do and the house at Château Valoux has been available for rental since 2011.
The Vines
The majority of the vines are red, covering 47 hectares, consisting of 55% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Malbec. The remaining 7 hectares are divided equally between Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Overall, there is a vine density of 7,200 vines/ha. The average age of the vines is 40 years -although there are some that are over a hundred years old.
Vinification
The harvest is manually picked and put into small baskets, followed by temperature controlled fermentation (24-28ºC) in stainless steel and cement vats for the reds, and a cooler ferment (18-22ºC) in oak barrels (50% new) for the whites. The reds will see up to 18 months in oak, the whites up to a year with regular bâtonnage.
Château Bouscaut Pessac-Léognan
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.
Les Chênes de Bouscaut Rouge
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.
Château Boyd-Cantenac
The Estate
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.
Château Boyd-Cantenac Margaux 3ème Grand Cru Classé
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
The Estate
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.
Château Branaire-Ducru, Saint-Julien 4ème Grand Cru Classé
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
Duluc de Branaire-Ducru
*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
Overview
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.
History
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.
Château Brane-Cantenac Margaux
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.
Baron de Brane
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.”
Château Calon-Ségur
Overview
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.
Chateau Calon-Ségur Saint-Estèphe
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
Le C De Calon Ségur Saint-Estèphe
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.
Château Camensac
History

Jacques Merlaut came from a bourgeois Bordeaux family, who kept themselves rather far from the vine. In the image of Mauriac, they were more active in the judiciary and the exploitation of the Landes forest. So Jacques started by reading law. Not judging this to hold much excitement for the future, he changed direction and entered HEC, a prestigious French Business School. At the time, the French were drinking 350 litres per person per year. Jacques became a dealer in « plonk », a not very agreable expression referring to someone who sells wine without really caring much about quality. But France was thirsty.
Naturally, his offices were in Bercy, an enclave of Paris on the banks of the Seine dedicated to this type of trade. The volumes traded gave this area an exciting « trading floor » atmosphere.
Jacques had lots of fun and made a very good living. Among his friends was a very talented man of Spanish origin, with whom be got on well. Later, each returning to his roots, the first created the Taillan group, made up of several merchants in France including Ginestet in Bordeaux, backed by 450 hectares in the Médoc consisting of classed growths and the like (Chasse-Spleen and Gruaud-Larose among others). The second, Enrique Forner, created Marques de Caceres, the benchmark for Rioja throughout the world.
Jacques was a visionary. In the light of the seventies, he sensed that consumption trends would change to favour quality over quantity, to say nothing of the health concerns implicit in heavy individual wine consumption, which would be sure to be raised by the authorities. He invested in different properties and merchant in Bordeaux and encouraged his Spanish friend to join him there. To show the sincerity of his invitation, he proposed taking 25% of a classed growth that was on the market, the rest being reserved for his friend : Camensac. This was in 1964. Enrique Forner therefore became owner of Château de Camensac, situated in the commune of Saint-Laurent-du-Médoc, an 1855 growth in the Haut-Médoc.
The two families remained in business together until Enrique decided in 2005 to withdraw from Bordeaux, and entrusted the future of the château to two members of the Merlaut family. Jean, son of Jacques, and Céline Villars-Foubet, his granddaughter. Before this, there is little information about the successive owners of Camensac. We know that a family of English origin, the Popps, held it at the time of the classification. That a noble family, de la Grandière de Tournadre, held it until its purchase by a wine merchant family from the north of France, the Cuveliers, who today own Léoville Poyferré. It was they who sol dit to Forner. Note that the first maps of France in the 17th century already reported a farmhouse at the site of the château, probably a dependency of the fiefdom of Lamarque.
The Terroir
The stones that make up the bulk of the Médoc gravel soil rolled down from the mountains feeding the Garonne, the Dordogne and their tributaries. The Gironde, where these two rivers flow out, much larger than today, deposited them on limestone or clay – limestone soil when the Quaternary ice age contracte dit and reduced its bed. Their spread, prevented on the right bank by relief, was entirely on the left, the Médoc, where they encountered no rough patches. The drop in the river uncovered two deposits of gravel. The oldest (tertiary), logically furthest from the bank, eroded by a few thousand more years, is composed of fine gravel mixed with coarse sand. It is called « Villafranchian ». The most recent (Quaternary) is made of a mass of thicker and orangey (ferrous) stones, called Gunz Gravel.
The north-east side of the mound of Camensac, at 23 metres, marjs the end of the layer of Gunz gravel which starts in Saint-Julien. It fades away before covering the Villafranchian gravel. It is the same as that found in Pessac-Léognan. Now these two types of soil combine their strenghts in the wine of Camensac, producing a certain north Médoc minerality and the floral accents of Pessac.
Owners: Céline Villars-Foubet & Jean Merlaut
Manager: Claire Thomas-Chenard
Oenologist: Eric Boissenot
Château de Camensac Haut-Médoc
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
La Closerie de Camensac
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.
Château Cantemerle
The Estate
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 Soil
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.
The Vines
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
There is a green harvest, and leaf thinning is practiced, with eventual yields up to 55 hl/ha. Hand selection is done in the vineyard, using 4 sorting tables. On arriving at the winery, the grapes are 100% destemmed before up to 30 days maceration and fermentation in conical wooden vats for the best parcels, stainless steel for the rest. A practice unique to Cantemerle is selective devatting, by which only the middle section of the cap is pressed. The upper layer, which includes oxidized grape matter, and the lower layers of pips and other materials, are not included. The wine then sees a year or so in oak with 50% new barrels each year, and only a light fining-no filtration-before bottling.
[/accordion_section]Wines and Production
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.
Chateau Cantemerle 5ème Grand Cru Classé Haut-Médoc
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
Les Allées de Cantemerle
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
Château Cantenac Brown
The Estate
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.
Château Cantenac Brown Margaux
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
BriO de Cantenac Brown
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.
Château Carbonnieux
Overview

Located just ten miles from Bordeaux near the Garonne, the vineyards at Château Carbonnieux are situated on a rise in the land, on gravel rich soils typical of the area. Near neighbors include Smith-Haut-Lafitte and Haut-Bailly, both to the south. Château Carbonnieux is one of the classified Graves châteaux, and produces both red and white cuvées under the Pessac-Léognan appellation.
History
The medieval origins of the estate were confirmed by a deed of exchange dated April 2, 1292 signed by two monks from the powerful Sainte-Croix abbey in Bordeaux. In 1519 after the difficulties of the Hundred Years War, the Benedictine monks from Sainte Croix sold the Carbonnieux land to Jean de Ferron. Jean de Ferron who came from a powerful Bordeaux bourgeois family, that already owned vines, had recently been ennobled and to glorify his rank had to own a great vineyard in the Graves region. As new Lord of Carbonnieux, he started a land purchase and consolidation policy which continued under his successors for two and a half centuries.
Formally a fortified farm, the Ferron noble house gradually became the great domain that it is today with its inner courtyard, high towers, outhouses, cropland and great vineyard. Although raised to the status of « Lords of Carbonnieux » the Ferron family ran into debt and sold the estate to the monks of the Sainte-Croix abbey in Bordeaux. Don Galléas was one of the first to blend varieties and to bottle wine which made it easier for it to be transported and kept for longer before being drunk. His vinification methods and his cellars were among the most modern in the region.
Thanks to the talents and entrepreneurship of the Benedictine monks from the Sainte-Croix abbey for half a century, the domain flourished and the famous bottle with the Saint Jacques shell attained worldwide renown, from Constantinople to the United States. In fact, during the 18th century when times were particularly good for the port of Bordeaux, the monks managed to introduce the clear white wines of Carbonnieux, with their pale colour into the palace of the Ottoman Sultan and called them « The mineral water of Carbonnieux ». The trick worked because one of his favourites was a woman from Bordeaux who had been captured by pirates and given to the Prince of the harem. The legend even goes so far as to say that the Prince asked « why do the French make wine when they have such delicious mineral water ? »
In 1786, Thomas Jefferson, the future president of the United States, a gastronome and great wine lover went on a grand tour of France to discover its vineyards. In Bordeaux he selected a few famous estates and his diary shows that he came to Carbonnieux to taste the « Wine of the Odalisques » as it was then called in the United States.
There was a terrible frost in the winter of 1956 and it was this same year that Marc Perrin who had bought the estate, set to work on the renovation of the château and its vineyard. He first started a significant replanting campaign that took the estate to 45 Ha in 1970 then to 70 Ha in 1980, to reach almost 95 Ha today. His son, Antony, built a new fermentation cellar and modernized the cellars to adapt to new vinification methods. He continued the restoration of the château and the vineyards and focused on increasing the renown of Carbonnieux and Bordeaux wine throughout the world. He was president of the « Union of Grand Crus de Bordeaux », president of the « Crus Classés de Graves » as well as being one of the forerunners of the Pessac-Léognan appellation, created in 1987. He also purchased newestates in the appelation Château Le Sartre and bois Martin which today belong to his sister. Over the yeards he passed on the family winemaking heritage and his skills to his children. Today the torch has been passed on them and once again the estate has reached a peak.
The Terroir
Sustainable agriculture classification for all the vineyard practices (chemical insecticides, weed-killers and acarides are banned).
Carbonnieux is a member of the ISO 14001 Certified Bordeaux Environmental Management System Association.
Soil : Multiples plots with differents soils ; clay and gravel / gravel / clay and limestone / sand and gravel / argillaceous vein / limestone vein.
Acreage :
-50 Ha for red grape varieties (60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot)
-42 Ha for white grape varieties (65% Sauvignon blanc, 35% Sémillon)
Harvesting : done by hand by local people who are familiar with the vineyards
Vinification
White
Little vibrating tippers place the bunches of harvested grapes gently on the sorting table. The white grapes, cleaned manually, arrive in three of the latest model pneumatic Inertys presses (under inert gas) where they are pressed, with or without the stems in oxygen free conditions. The first very clear aromatically subtle juices can be obtained after this type of slow gentle pressing. The absence of oxidation throughout the pressing process helps the naturally very pale juices to keep their fruity quality and to limit the use of sulphur. After 3 to 4 days of settling in vats at low temperature, fermentation continues in barrels, by batches depending on the plots they originally came from.
Red
Once they are placed on the table, the red grapes are sorted twice, before and after destemming, in order to get rid of any unwanted vegetable particles. After gentle crushing, the berries are put in vats with their skins to extract the tannins and the colour. The vatting process of red juices lasts around 28 days at low temperature and involves regular pumping over. The marc cap gently pumped over will give the wine the deep colour that characterizes the reds from Château Carbonnieux. When fermentation is finished the wines are drained by gravity into settling barrels, batch by batch , to start the ageing process.
Aging
White
White wines are put in barrels of different capacities (225 litres, 400litres and oak vats) depending on the oak flavor desired. During the 10 months of ageing the different batches of white wines are stirred regularly. Thanks to this ancestral manual stirring process, the fine lees are suspended in the barrel to lend body and fullness to the wines.
The cellar for white wines contains the equivalent of 600 oak barrels from the centre of France. A quarter are renewed every year.
Red
Once they are barreled, red wines start the malolactic fermentation process which lowers acidity and gives them more roundness. The ageing of red wines lasts about 18 months in Bordeaux barrels. Slowly the tannins from the wood blend with those from the wine to produce more subtle aromas.
Oxygen that passes slowly between the staves of the barrels very gently matures the wine and the “angel’s share” is exhaled. Due to this natural loss the level of the barrels must be topped up regularly.
The red wine cellar contains around 1000 oak barrels from the centre of France. A third are renewed every year.
Blending
Each barrel is identified by its plot of origin and grape variety. At the end of the ageing process, blending gives life to the different wines. The best batches, offering outstanding gustatory qualities and cellaring potential, are selected for the red and white Carbonnieux wines. The other plots will be used to craft La Croix de Carbonnieux and Château Tour Léognan. After the painstaking blending process, the wines are fined (with egg whites for red wines and a natural mineral clay for white wines) to precipitate the last suspended micro-particles. The wines are then ready for bottling. The bottles rest in our cellars for a few months before delivery.
Crafted by the Perrin Family for more than a half-century, the great wines of Château Carbonnieux, red or white are then ready to join your cellar and grace your table.
Chateau Carbonnieux Rouge
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
Chateau Carbonnieux Blanc
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
Château Tour Leognan Rouge
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.
Château Tour Léognan Bordeaux Blanc Sec
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
Château Chasse-Spleen
The Estate
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.
Château Chasse-Spleen Moulis-en-Médoc
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
L'Héritage de Chasse-Spleen Haut-Médoc
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.
Château Chauvin
The Estate
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.
Château Chauvin Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé
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.