Four centuries of history and two owners
From the Reiffers family to the Cuvelier family
The vineyard ofChâteau Côte de Baleauwas created in 1643.Reiffers familyis the first and only owner for over 300 years. It is atSaint-EmilionThe family chose to begin a mixed farming operation. It was only in the 19th century that the Reiffers decided to devote themselves exclusively to vineyards.Sophie Fourcadewho, today, is in charge of the vineyards, a role she has held since the early 1990s. Heir to several estates steeped in history, she nevertheless remains humble about her production. The descendant of the original owners has only one ambition: to elevate her estate to the ranks of theGrands Crus Classés.She achieves her goal by2012The date on which the Saint-Emilion classification truly reflects the efforts made by the estate. The wines of Château Côte de Baleau were awarded the title of Grand Cru Classé.
A year later, in 2013, theCuvelier family,Philippe and Mathieu acquired the Reiffers family estates, including Château Côte de Baleau. While they now own six châteaux, they are leaving the management to Sophie Fourcade.
The complex terroir of Saint-Emilion
The viticulture of a passionate woman
It's on the right bank of Bordeaux, inSaint-Emilion, where the vineyard ofChâteau Côte de BaleauThis Grand Cru Classé extends over18 hectaresof vines, 15 of which are classified. This estate is composed of clay-limestone soil. The region's flagship grape varieties are cultivated here. The clay lends roundness to the Merlot (80%). The limestone rocks interspersed with clay allow the Cabernet Franc (15%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (5%) to reveal their full complexity.
These vines, with an average age of 35 years, benefit from an oceanic climate that tempers the intense heat of the summer months. The estate practices traditional and sustainable viticulture. Pruning, green harvesting, and thinning are carried out according to the vintage to ensure perfect grape ripeness. Nothing is left to chance in the vineyard management, which is overseen bySophie Fourcadebecause each vintage must be an ambassador for all the Grand Cru Classé wines of Saint-Emilion.
The creation of a Grand Cru Classé
Working on the bouquet of each vintage
After a hand-harvesting by passionate winemakers and pickers, the grapes are brought to the winery. Before being placed in vats, they are carefully sorted and destemmed. These Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon berries are then transferred to temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Maceration and fermentation take an average of 30 days with daily punch-downs. The young wines are then transferred to French oak Bordeaux barrels for 16 to 18 months. At the end of this stage, the wines are blended. Despite the acquisition by theCuvelier familywhich draws on the expertise of Stéphan Derenoncourt,Michel Rollandremains the consulting oenologist ofSophie FourcadeA great deal of work is done on the intensity of the bouquet of each vintage.
Thus, the wines made by theChâteau Côte de BaleauThey aim to be indulgent, while expressing the full depth of black fruits.
