Chateau La Fleur Grands Landes, Montagne St. Emilion

Tasting Note

Spicy, dark fruits with herbal notes combined with earthy hints. A beautifully balanced wine with silky tannins.

Producer Note

The Durand family has owned the 7 hectare estate in the Montagne district since the 18th century. In 1969, Mr Carrere, Miss Durand's husband took over the estate giving it the current shape. Since 1997, his daughter Isabelle Fort, wife of Jean-Philippe Fort, oenologist from Michel Rolland's team, has been running the estate after having taught oenology and viticulture for 10 years.

Vineyard

De-budding, removal of the vine-shoots by hand, leaf-thinning, green harvest. No chemical fertilizer is used, only vegetal compost added moderately depending on the equilibrium of the soil. Hand picking with a slight over ripeness to get a better phenolic maturity of the skins and the pips.

Winemaking

Sorting by hand after total de-stemming on a sorting table. 20% bleeding. Cold maceration before fermentation lasting 3 to 4 days. Fermentation in thermo regulated stainless steel vats with daily pumping lasting 3 weeks. 80% aged in vats and 20% in oak barrels.

Serving Suggestion

Try with beef wellington or barbequed chicken.

Grape

Merlot 80%, Cabernet Franc 15%, Cabernet Sauvignon 5%