File: Bordeaux Futures 2007: The Winemakers
Charles Chevallier is the Director of the Domaines Barons de Rothschild, which includes 1st Growth Lafite Rothschild in Pauillac as well as L'Evangile in Pomerol, Rieussec in Sauternes and 4th Growth Duhart Milon (Pauillac) ...
What made our visit with Chevallier especially interesting this year was to hear how such disparate terroirs as Pauillac, Pomerol and Sauternes compared during a difficult year...
Each in its own way, of course, is a superior terroir. However, different soil types and different grape varieties react differently to the same weather conditions.
The best winemakers micro-manage their estates by parcels. Each parcel has its own character and the wine it produces, when vinified in individual vats, has a unique character. This is because the same grape variety will ripen differently on (even slightly) different soil types and different exposures to the sun. Harvest and vinification by parcel is important to ensure optimal grape maturity, the desired balance of fruit, acidity and tannins in the final blend, and the aromatic profile of the wine.
At the DBR estates, parcels are harvested and vinified separately. Mr. Chevallier noted that the work force he requires in the vineyards has doubled over the last 20 years. He now uses 350 pickers for Lafite alone.
Lafite has 103 hectares of vines planted on a soil of deep fine gravel mixed with aeolien sands on bedrock of tertiary limestone. The 2007 produced a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. 38% went into the first wine. The harvest began on September 24th with the Merlot and ended with the Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot on October 10th.
L'Evangile, with Pétrus on one side and Cheval Blanc on the other, has 14-hectares of sandy-clay soils with pure stones on bedrock of iron oxide. The 2007 produced a blend of 84% Merlot and 16% Cabernet Franc. The harvest began with the Merlot on September 17, followed by the Cabernet Franc on September 27th, with the Cab ending on October 2nd and the Merlot on October 3rd.
Rieussec has 90 hectares planted on gravel interspersed with lime. The first wine is a blend of 87% Semillon, 8.5 % Sauvignon Blanc, and 4.5% Muscadelle. Harvest began on September 11th and ended on November 16th.
DBR also owns Chateaux Paradis Casseuil in Entre Deux Mers, Peyre-Lebade in Haut-Medoc, d’Aussières in Languedoc, Vina Los Vascos in Chili, Bodegas Caro in Argentina, and Quinta do Carmo in Portugal. For more information about the wine estates and their wines, go to www.lafite.com .
Credits:
Director of Photography - Philippe SIMON
Postproduction - Frederic LOT
Correspondent & Writer - Suzanne MUSTACICH
Text - S.M.
Man you're wonderful. Having these cool ideas not to talk about producing it. Outstanding!
Posted by: Jordan 1 | 19 August 2010 at 04:20