Palate

It is silky, powerful, incomparably elegant, and has enormous minerality.

Growing Conditions

Vineyard:

- Terroir: Clay-limestone
- Area under vine: 4,5 ha (9,9 acres)
- Grape varieties: 75 % Merlot, 25 % Cabernet Franc
- Average age of the vines: 60 years

Harvest

By hand, into small crates to avoid bruising.

The entire crop was picked on 2 days: 30/09 and 03/10/1997

- Yield: 20 hl/ha

Bottling

Château-bottled in June 2002

Winemaking

Winemaking in wooden vats for 30 days. Extraction by pneumatic pigeage (punching down the cap)

Fermentation: In temperature-controlled wooden vats for 28-35 days depending on the vintage. Extraction by pneumatic “pigeage” (punching down the cap).

Malolactic fermentation and ageing: In new oak barrels (100%) on fine lees. Fining and filtering as necessary, depending on the vintage.

Aging

Ageing in new oak barrels (100%) on the lees for 18 months. No fining or filtering