Paloumey et son terroir
Château Paloumey is located at the start of the Médoc, the "Terre du Milieu" ("Land in the Middle", between the Atlantic and the Gironde estuary) that is enclosed and yet open to the world, and whose gravelly soil is prized by the most prestigious vineyards.
CHATEAU PALOUMEY : THE FINESSE OF THE HAUT-MEDOC
Château Paloumey is in Ludon-Médoc, in the south of the Haut-Médoc appellation, between Château La Lagune and Cantemerle, both Grand Cru Classés of 1855. Thanks to the privileged location of our plots, Paloumey's 34 hectares of vines, present a wide range of terroirs.
Hilltops of Garonne gravel dating from the Quaternary period, sand and pebbles make up the 24 hectares of vines planted around Château Paloumey. The property also has 10 hectares of ancient Garonne gravel and clay soil in Cussac-Fort-Médoc, a commune that lies on the edge of the Saint Julien appellation.
The blending of this mosaic of exceptional terroirs gives Château Paloumey and its second wine Ailes de Paloumey, complexity, elegance and a structure worthy of the Haut-Médoc's finest properties.
GRAPE VARIETIES
Before replanting Paloumey's vineyard in 1990, analyses of the soil and subsoil were carried out in order to establish their winegrowing potential. These analyses, combined with climate data, resulted in the creation of a profile for each plot and enabled us to plant the grape varieties that were best suited to the characteristics of the terroir.
Château Paloumey's vineyard is planted with three classic Médoc grape varieties: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon (a late-ripening variety that forms the backbone of the wine, bringing complexity, structure and ageing potential), 40% Merlot (an early-ripening variety that brings suppleness, roundness and freshness) and 5% Cabernet Franc (bringing finesse and spicy aromas).
In the time-honoured tradition of Bordeaux's wines, Château Paloumey and Ailes de Paloumey result from a plot selection made every year, and a subtle blend of these three grape varieties, combining each one's qualities to produce the best possible wine.
THE MEDOC, AN EXCEPTIONAL TERROIR
Brought by rivers over thousands of years, following the melting of the glaciers in the Tertiary and Quaternary periods, sand, gravel, clay and pebbles make up the Médoc's gravelly soil. Sculpted by time into small hills, the gravel terraces provide natural drainage for the vines.
Perfectly located on the 45th parallel, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gironde estuary, the Médoc benefits from a temperate climate well-suited to winegrowing. The region is divided into eight appellations producing exceptional wines : Haut-Médoc, Margaux, Moulis-en-Médoc (the three AOCs where Paloumey has its vines), Listrac-Médoc, Saint-Julien, Pauillac, Saint-Estèphe and Médoc.