Graves, Bordeaux France.

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Château Du Grand Bos stands on deep gravel soils in the North of the appellation, a stone’s throw from Pessac Leognan and the town of Martillac. The minerals in the soils have formed over centuries, rolling gently down from the mountains in the Garonne river. The large gravel soils hold in the heat to allow perfect vegetation but also let excess water drain away. The water drains into the clay–flint subsoil which allows the vine to hydrate itself during dry summers. It also makes the vine push its roots deep into the ground, making it produce superb fruit. Perfect conditions to make elegant fruity wines.

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Château du Grand Bos is located in Castres, in a part of the Graves appellation where one finds some of the oldest Bordeaux vineyards dating from 2,000 years ago. The vineyard lies near the old Roman road named “Chemin Gallien”. The Château is listed as a leading estate in its commune in editions of Cocks & Feret going back to 1868. The vineyard, whose soil is composed of very deep gravel, ceased being cultivated in the 1950’s and when M. Vincent bought the property in 1988 it was in poor condition. M.Vincent had sold his property in Saint Estephe, Chateau La Haye, with the idea of retiring but instead immediately set out to replant and restore the vineyard as well as the Château. The winery was further renovated in 2005 when the underground cellar where wells had been dug in the 17th century, was refashioned into a pristine barrel room with lots of natural humidity.

 

The vineyard totals 18.5 hectares with 15 hectares in red grapes and 3.5 hectares in white grapes. Through the purchase of his neighbor’s well-established vineyard, M. Vincent achieves an average vine age of 30 years, with certain parcels being between 40 and 50 years old. The vineyard ground is worked throughout the year, including “chaussage et dechaussage”, a traditional method of protecting the vine over the winter by covering the base of the plants with soil just after harvest and then removing it in the spring. The vines are pruned using the “Guyot double” method with each cane limited to four buds. Yields are controlled through “ébourgeonnage” bud pulling and then if still necessary “vendange en vert” green harvesting. M. Vincent does not use herbicides or pesticides in his vineyard.

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APPELLATION: Graves AOC

AVERAGE AGE OF THE VINES: 20 years

SURFACE: 30 ha

SOIL: Gravelly soil - Subsoil siliceous clay

CERTIFICATION: Organic & Bio-Dynamic 

WINEMAKER: Marie Vincent