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