Marie-Christine, the daughter of Henri Ducourt, purchased this prestigious left-bank property in 1979, which lies on the border of the Graves appellation.

The 60-hectare vineyard was rapidly replanted and the château building, which dates from 1348, was restored. The Ducourt family now produces three different-coloured wines there: red, white and rosé.

Region : Bordeaux, Left bank, France

Surface area : 46,2 hectares

Soil type : Loamy-clay

Grape varieties : Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc

Vineyard management : Guyot pruning, de-budding, thinning out leaves, green harvest, sustainable agriculture

Harvest : Machine harvesting in the cool, early morning 

Macération : Pre-fermentation cold maceration of 24 to 48 hours

Fermentation : Alcoholic fermentation in thermo-regulated stainless steel vats at around 26°C then a gentle vatting for 3 weeks at 30°C. Running off and pressing, separation of the press and free-run juice. Malolactic fermentation in thermo-regulated stainless steel vats at around 18°C

Ageing : Ageing in oak for 12 months. Bottling and ageing in our cellars for at least 12 more months

Colour : Dark garnet hue
Nose : Red fruits, almond and hazelnut, with a faint vanilla aroma
Mouth : The silky, velvety attack reveals a pleasant, concentrated and well-structured wine, wine a combination of fruits pastes’ flavours, liquorice and toasted notes, and an elegant finish
Food pairings : Charcuterie, tapas, red meat, white meat, cheeses

James Suckling – 90 points

Black-fruit, cassis, tar, walnut-husk and raw-cocoa aromas. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, powdery tannins. Chewy layers of dark fruit and wood spice. Try from 2022