Vineyards
It is no exaggeration to say that Lespault-Martillac has a great terroir. First of all, its elevation provides very good water balance, with excellent nature drainage for surface runoff. And there’s a fairy thick layer of gravel, 80 cm to 1.50 m deep, overlaying a mixture of clay and gravel. This deep subsoil is very cool and, despite the vineyard’s excellent natural drainage, there are no worries about suffering from drought conditions!
Some parts of Martillac with clay outcrops produce wines that are somewhat rustic, while the clay influence in other low-lying plots is conducive to excessive coolness in the soil. Fortunately, Lespault-Martillac has neither of these flaws thanks to its elevation and the deepness of its layer of clay.
Merlot predominates on this fine, rather warm and early maturing terroir. Moreover, it is propitious to numerous combinations of grape varieties… For instance, it would be possible to significantly increase the proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon to be more in keeping with the norm for the appellation. However, I feel that the existing mix of grape varieties results in a remarkably charming expression of the terroir that I like very much.
The vineyard consists of eight hectares in a single block, including one of white wine grapes. It is cultivated like a garden, with the same care and attention as at Domaine de Chevalier… Weed killers and chemical fertilisers are banished, the soil is ploughed, and the only fertiliser is natural compost. The vineyard is protected from insect pests such as grape worms by organic methods such as mating disruption. We adapt vineyard management to each individual plot, taking into account even the tiniest variations in terroir as well as the weather conditions in each vintage. We contribute a great deal of experience and added value to the crop, especially in difficult years. I can honestly say that very few estates lavish as much care and attention as we do…