Chateau du Gravillon, Saint-Emilion

A blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon delivering expressive aromas of ripe plum and blueberry, soft and plump and with a silky, smooth finish.

Producer Note

Château du Gravillon was purchased in 1960 by Georges Lavaud, first generation winemaker who followed his passion venturing into winemaking having previously worked as an agricultural consultant. The estate is now run by Georges’ son owner and winemaker, Hubert Lavaud. Located in the commune of Saint Sulpice de Faleyrens the Château Gravillon covers 3.5 hectares of exceptional terroir nestled in the heart of Saint Emilion, near the famous Grand Cru Classé Château Monbousquet. Château Gravillon takes its name from the gravel soils and produces accessible wines typical of the appellation.

Vintage

2018 was a good vintage. Winter saw moderate temperatures without extremes. The summer was hot and dry, which continued until the end of the harvest. The high temperatures and moderate water stress provided optimum conditions for high levels of anthocyanins and early ripening of the tannins. The resulting wines are richly coloured, with excellent flavour concentration and smooth tannins.

Vineyard

Chateau Gravillon is located in Saint Emilion on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. The vineyard is cultivated sustainably and holds the Level 3 Certificate for Haute Valeur Environmentale (HVE). The HVE is a voluntary approach which aims to identify and promote environmentally friendly practices applied by farmers and winegrowers. It covers four areas: biodiversity conservation, plant protection strategy, management of fertiliser use and water management. In Château Gravillon’s vineyard, the rows between the vines have grass cover crops which help to encourage biodiversity and reduce the need for herbicides. The soil is tilled and copper is not used in the vineyard. The soils are made up of sand, clay and gravel; the high clay content dominates on the Right Bank and is known for its good water retention properties, it is cool and high in acidity. The gravel component encourages vines to penetrate the soils to find nutrients. The average age of the vines is 30 years and they are planted at a high density of 6,000 vines per hectare.

Winemaking

The must was fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel vats with twice daily pump-overs to extract colour, flavour and structure and to oxygenate the wine. Fermentation lasted for two weeks. The wine was matured in a combination of stainless steel and cement tanks of 85 hectolitres to 150 hectolitres capacity, for 18 months. This cuvée was vinified without the influence of oak, to express the purity of fruit and the nuances of the terroir.

Tasting Note

An intensely coloured blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon delivering expressive aromas of ripe plum and blueberry. Soft and fruity, with silky tannins and a smooth finish.

Grape

Merlot 90%, Cabernet Sauvignon 10%