Region | Bordeaux (Francia) |
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Foundation Year | 1983 |
Vineyard hectares | 45 |
Address | 102 Chem. de Mignoy - 33850 - Léognan (Francia) |
Domaine de Chevalier is a Grand Cru Classé de Graves located in Léognan, south of the city of Bordeaux. It is an estate with unique characteristics. It is in the middle of a wooded area that provides a special microclimate. The good temperature ranges, favor ripening with intense and rich aromatic profiles, essential for producing great wines. The property covers a very large area. There are 45 hectares under vine, 40 of which are planted with red grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and the rest with white grapes: Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. The vines have an average age of about 35 years and were planted at the high density of 10,000 vines per hectare in order to exacerbate the competition between the plants and favor low natural yields.
As in the entire Graves area, the soils are of ancient alluvial nature, formed by deposits from the great Gironde estuary. These are soils characterized by the abundant presence of pebbles and gravels, making them very draining and particularly suitable for growing red grapes. The climate is mitigated by the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gironde, which act as natural thermoregulators, making temperatures milder so as to avoid the danger of spring frosts. Thanks to the special microclimate, viticulture has been present in the Bordeaux area for millennia, and even today the area's reds represent indispensable models.
Following the simple principle, that a great wine comes only from grapes of superior quality, the harvests are carried out with extreme care and at the time of full phenolic ripeness of the grapes. Each plot is harvested separately so that the grapes are always picked at the best time. The ripest and healthiest clusters are selected in the vineyard in a very strict manner. Winemaking is conducted according to ancient tradition, always trying to respect and preserve the varietal character of the grapes. Aging is carried out using French oak barrels, which allow perfect aromatic evolution of the wines and the development of refined tertiary notes.