Chateau la Bretonniêre - Grand Vin Blanc, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux, France (2019)

TASTING NOTES

Aromatic notes of lemon confit, white flowers, and sweet spice with subtle tropical fruit accents. The palate is well balanced with honey, waxy tangerines, orange zest and stone fruit. The finish echoes the floral and citrus notes.

From a 1-hectare plot of 25-year-old vines on clay, sand, and gravel. Rigorous hand selection in the vineyard to ensure the harvest of physiologically ripe fruit. Fermented using natural yeasts in French oak barrels. Aged for 9 months in barrel before bottling.

Stéphane’s route to being a winemaker is a little unorthodox. After studying engineering at university his first job was selling French farm equipment in the USA. At the age of 25, with little knowledge of the wine business, or indeed winemaking, Stéphane was convinced he could be successful. He took over the estates of Château La Bretonnière (AOC Blaye-Côtes de Bordeaux) and Château Tour de Guiet (AOC Côtes de Bourg). 4 years later, in 1996, Château Romfort (AOC Blaye-Côtes de Bordeaux) was added to his collection of estates.

Stéphane embarked on a huge challenge. The house he moved into had neither running water or electricity. The vineyards and equipment were similarly needing a lot of work to breathe new life back into them. Over the next few years the vineyards were completely replanted. Densities were increased, soil was rebalanced and revitalized and farming methods focused on sustainable agriculture to give Stéphane the best grapes possible. In 2000, construction of a new winery allowed Stéphane to finally start to produce wines of true character and authenticity. The wines are produced as naturally as possible, no added yeasts for the red wines, and fermentations, aging and bottling based on the lunar cycles.

The connected appellations of Blaye and Côtes de Bourg are located on the right bank of the Gironde estuary. With rolling hills, the region is hillier than it’s neighbour on the left bank, Médoc, rising to 70m. AOC Blaye is the larger appellation which surrounds Côtes de Bourg. The soils tend towards clay over limestone. In 2007 the appellations were revised to streamline some of the confusing regulations. AOC Blaye is exclusively for red wine, while AOC Côtes de Blaye is exclusively for white wine. Confusingly though, a wine labelled Blaye-Côtes de Bordeaux can be both red and white. AOC Côtes de Bourg can also produce both red and white wines. Château La Bretonnière is 15ha in size with the vines average age being 25 years old. As it is located in AOC Blaye-Côtes de Bordeaux, both red and white wines are produced but 85% of the production is given over to red wine. Château Tour de Guiet is located in AOC Côtes de Bourg. 10 ha in size with a similar average age for the vines, this Château produces exclusively red wines.

Stéphane is an independent wine grower. He is passionate, a perfectionist and environmentally responsible. His vineyards are certified HEV 3 (High Environmental Value level 3). HEV is certified by the French government. It is a voluntary certification that aims to identify and promote environmentally-friendly practices by farmers. Level 3 is the highest level for this government certification. His hard work and dedication, alongside advice from some of the most respected viticulturists and oenologists in the region bring forward the best in his wines - a combination of complexity, finesse and authenticity that represent outstanding value.