Red
2023
Graves
CRU CLASSÉ DE GRAVES
THE CASTEL FAMILY
Varietal blend
67% Merlot
33% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol by volume
14°
Size of the vineyard
90 ha
Quantity produced
613 000 bottles
Average age of vines
30 years old
Grape varieties
53 % Merlot
47 % Cabernet Sauvignon
Soil type
Güntziennes graves
Vineyard skills
Density: 9,600 plants / ha Working the soil. Green harvesting except for leaf thinning (to avoid burns on bunches in a context of global warming). Hand harvesting with successive sorting.
Yields in hls/ha (Grand Vin)
57 hls/ha
Vinification
Bio protection - harvest entry and cold vinification without SO2 Cold pre-fermentation at around 5°C for 15 days for Merlot. Parcel-by-parcel vinification in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. Controlled oxygenation with clipping and gentle extraction. Maceration for 20-25 days to work on tannin structure and extract aromas.
Maturing/ageing : Aging of 50% of the volume in French oak barrels: 33% in new barrels, 33% in 1-wine barrels, 33% in 2-wine barrels.
Owner's words