Château La Grave

Château La Grave is a lovely estate on the west side of Pomerol that dates back to the early 19th century. As indicated by its name, the soil is almost pure pebble. It marks the beginning of the one mile long gravelly strip which crosses the plateau of Pomerol, then Cheval Blanc and ends at Château Figeac.

La Grave could be considered the equivalent of a third growth in the Médoc and ranks amongst the top Pomerol. His very first personal acquisition, Christian Moueix purchased the estate in June 1971 and gave a great deal of attention to the restoration of the château, the cellar, and to the vineyard. Today, as part of the Ets Jean-Pierre Moueix properties, it receives the same meticulous care as the family’s top châteaux.

Located in the northwest of the appellation, Château LA GRAVE - as its name indicates in French - is the starting point of the gravelly belt of Pomerol.The 20 year-old vines are traditionally maintained (with regular crop thinning and de- leafing).The young wine is vinified with the respect of the fruit and aged in 25% new oak barrels.

The result is a wine with elegance, delicacy and charm which particularly marries well with fine food.

A lovely estate situated on the western side of the plateau of Pomerol, Château La Grave dates back to the 19th century, when it was owned by the Trigant de Boisset family. As its name indicates, the terroir of Château La Grave is almost pure gravel, marking the beginning of a mile-long gravelly strip that continues into Saint-Émilion, passing through Château Cheval Blanc before ending at Château Figeac.

Acquired by Christian Moueix in 1971, Château La Grave was his first vineyard purchase. A great deal of attention was given to the renovation of the vineyard, château, and cellar in order to restore the wine’s place among the top wines of Pomerol.

An elegant, delicate, charming wine, the gravelly soils of La Grave offer poise and linearity, while the ripe, red fruit and characteristic silky texture make the wine approachable and enjoyable, even in its youth.

Appellation: Pomerol

Vineyard size: 8 ha (19,8 acres)

Varieties: 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc

Soil: Gravel with fine clay

Production: approximately 36,000 bottles

A strict and merciless parcel selection precedes the harvest which is conducted entirely by hand, vine by vine, and often bunch by bunch. A sorting table is used systematically to assure a selection of only the healthiest grapes. Vatting and maceration are conducted according the needs of the vintage; racking into barrels is immediate following fermentations in a minimum of 50% new oak. The wines are clarified (racked) by hand every three months and remain in barrel for 18 months before bottling.