Les Terrasses de Saint Christophe, St Emilion Grand Cru

History

At the end of 2011 Peter Kwok acquired the Chateau Tour Saint Christophe and runs it with his daughter Karen. Les Terrasses de Saint Christophe is the second label of the chateau. The chateau overlooks beautiful dry stone terraces, probably dated to be several hundred years old, on a chalky-clay terroir.

Appellation

Saint-Emilion Grand Cru.

Topography

The Chateau Tour Saint Christophe is located at the limit between the two villages of Saint-Emilion and Saint Christophe des Bardes.

Farming Method & Harvesting

Parcel management of the soil and vineyard. Methods include traditional farming, Guyot mixed pruning, natural grass between the rows, work on the soil under the vine, de-budding, subtle leaf removal and green harvest if necessary to respect the environmental balance. After hand-picking with plastic crates, a first selection of the grapes is made in the vineyard, they then arrive in the winery where they are de-stalked and carefully sorted once more. Fermentation is carried out in temperature controlled concrete tanks. Barrels are filled just after the running off and the malolactic fermentation is done in them. The wine is aged for 15 months, depending on the vintage, in French oak barrels (of which 60% are new).

Grapes

90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc

Comment

A bright ruby colour. Enticing notes of red fruits, spices and minerals on the nose. On the palate the attack is on the fruit with an evolution on the typical feature of this chalky-clay terroir.