Chateau de Ricaud

Alain THIENOT
Frédéric BONNAFFOUS
Bruno MARLET
3 Ha
to the north of the winery, calcareous-clay interspersed
with a deep vein of clay. 2 gravel terraces on the east
and north-west slopes of the vineyard. The vineyard is
shaped like a natural amphitheatre.
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot
6,900 vines per hectare
25 years
sustainable plant protection, manual budrubbing and
shoot removal, 2 leafpluckings (once at end of June/
beginning of July on the side the sun rises; once end
of August, on the side the sun sets). Removal of any
unripe grapes.
Merlot: 13-15 October, cool-harvest
Cabernet Sauvignon: 27-29 October, at optimum
ripeness
in separate batches, by varietal and by vineyard parcel.
Fermentation temperature closely monitored to adapt
the wine to specific vintage conditions.
12 months in new French oak barrels

Region Description

A region in western France that grows famous red wines from the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc grapes and white wines from Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle grapes. Situated on the Atlantic coast, Bordeaux has a maritime climate with warm summers and fairly mild winters as well as an abundance of rain during harvest time. When young, the finest red Bordeaux wines have a deep cranberry hue and aromas of blackcurrants, plums, spice, cedar, and cassis. For the first ten years or so these wines can be very dry, with tannin masking the fruity flavors. Eventually the wines turn garnet, and develops an extraordinarily complex bouquet and flavor as well as softer tannins. The finest red Bordeaux wines still take 20 years or so before reaching their maturity. Two distinct red wine production zones exist within the Bordeaux region; the Left Bank and the Right Bank. The Left Bank vineyards are located west of the Garonne River and the Gironde Estuary, into which the Garonne empties. The Right Bank vineyards are east and north of the Dordogne River and east of the Grionde Estuary. Of the various wine districts on the Left and Right Banks, four are the most important for red wines: Haut-Médoc; Pessac-Leognan, St-Emilion, and Pomerol. For white wines, the most important are Graves and Pessac-Leognan.