Château Caronne Sainte Gemme

WINEMAKER NOTES

The vineyard was first reported in 1648 when a local Landlord, Denys de Mullet of La Tour St Lambert rented it to a farmer in exchange of the wines produced.  Caronne is derived from “Carona” for a local spring source, and Gemme a corruption of “James”.  In the middle-ages the locality was a parish on the grounds of a subsidiary to the Templar Commanderie at nearby Benon a few kilometres inland. Pilgrims on their way to Santiago di Compostella, having crossed the estuary from Blaye, would rest here before continuing their way across the Landes to the Spanish Border.  The Parish was abolished during the Revolution and it is about this time that the first records of wine production at Caronne begin to emerge.  In 1900 ownership of Caronne passed to Emile and Eugène Borie. The sons of Eugène would later cede their shares to their uncle and purchase Ch. Batailley and later Ducru-Beaucaillou whilst Emile’s descendance would remain sole owner of Caronne until this day.  The property is now managed by François, the fourth generation with his brother Georges and his two cousins Michel & Jean François.

TASTING NOTES

Deep color with a pleasant violet hue. Aromatic with red and black fruit with a touch of vanilla , licorice and cedar wood. Round with soft tannins and a good grip. A lingering and fresh finish.

VINEYARD

The vineyard is situation inn the St Laurent Médoc area 500 meters south of the saint Julien strip and in the direct neighbourhood of the vineyards of Gruaud Larose, Lagrange, Belgrave, Camensac and Lanessan. The vineyard, a resurgence of the St Julien occidental mound, forms an island of 38 hectares (94 acres) planted on first class günzian gravel on a base of iron rich sandstone, a little more sandy to the east, a little more clayey to the west.

VITICULTURE

The vintage: Early de budding followed by an exceptionally hot & dry July however with no drought. A moderately hot August with some beneficial rains. September with some heavy rains then dry and fresh until the end of harvesting. Good harvesting conditions. Berries with a very good balance given the untypical vintage. The vineyard is ploughed. Harvesting is 50% manual and 50% machine.

• Average age of the vines: 30 years.
• Density: 10.000 vines per hectare.
• Yield: 48 hectoliters per hectare
• Harvest: 25th of September – 15th of October

VINIFICATION

The wine making : The grapes are destalked, then slightly crushed and sent into stainless steel fermentation vats which are thermo-regulated. Fermentation is led at the temperature of 26/28° Celsius with light “over the top” pumping for a soft extraction of the skins. The maceration can last three weeks. The wine ageing of 12 months is made exclusively in French barrels of 225 L., of which 25% are renewed each year. The wine is fined and finally bottled at the vineyard 20 months after the harvest.

PRESS

“A solid and structured red with polished tannins and pretty currant, spice and walnut character.”  – 91-92 points, James Suckling, James Suckling.com 

“Fine fleshy, meaty fruit and good vineyard character. Quite St-Estèphe in style with good grip and a fine future. Drinking Window: 2020-2028.”  – 88 points, Steven Spurrier, Decanter