CHÂTEAU LA GRAVE FIGEAC 2018 RED WINE

TERROIR

CHÂTEAU LA GRAVE FIGEAC is the main estate wine. It is both a grape varieties and terroirs blend. The grape varieties blend respects the following proportions :

• 65% Merlot
• 35% Cabernet Franc

The vines are spread over three distinct sectors :

• The Pavillon sector, near the Château FIGEAC parcels : the soil consists of a sandy-clayey and gravelly colluviums surface layer and a substrate dating from the Lower Oligocene (between -54 and -49 million years ago) ) composed of feldspathic sands, gravels and green sandy clays which have decomposed in a fluvio-lake environment.
• The La Grave Figeac sector, where the eponymous castle is located, close to the Cheval Blanc and La Conseillante plots. The soil consists of sandy-clayey and gravelly colluvium surface layer cemented by iron oxides forming what is locally called "crasse de fer". It covers the substrate formed by a high fluvial terrace which formed during the Quaternary valleys digging process.
• The Chantecaille sector, where one of the Quaternary high terraces bearing the most famous Pomerol vineyards is directly outcropping : its soil of feldspathic sands contains ruby ​​pebbles with blond quartz and black flint.

WINEGROWING & WINEMAKING

The grapes that make up this cuvée come from around 45 years old vines, the youngest plants are 10 years old and the oldest are 65 years old.

Château La Grave Figeac is the 3 above mentioned terroirs and two grape varieties blend : 65% of merlot grapes and 35% of Cabernet Franc grapes. The vines are cultivated according to the Organic Farming principles and the estate is AB certified since 2012.

The grapes are manually harvested, destemmed, sorted and separately vinified, varietal by varietal and plot by plot.
The fermentation takes place in thermo-regulated concrete tanks. The pumping over is done manually, it allows the grape skins floating on the must surface to be mixed with the juice.
After fermentation, the musts are racked for an ageing phase for 13 to 15 months, a third in new barrels, a third in one wine barrels and a third in tanks.

At the end of the ageing phase, the musts are tasted and blended in tanks. They are then fined with organic egg white.