LES VIGNOBLES PALOUMEY

The communal appellations of Margaux and Moulis-en-Médoc have held no secrets for Château Paloumey's team since 1993. These vineyards produce Château La Bessane and La Garricq respectively, two tiny properties whose small production delights wine lovers every year.

CHATEAU LA BESSANE : A JEWEL IN MARGAUX

Located in the commune of Cantenac, Château La Bessane's vineyard consists of 2.4 hectares of vines. The terroir in the Margaux appellation is characterized by a thick gravelly layer made up of small stones, sand and pebbles. The soil is poor and well-drained, encouraging the vines to develop deep roots.

Château La Bessane's singularity and originality derives from the fact that the vineyard is made up mostly of Petit Verdot (45%) with smaller quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) and Merlot (35%). This unusual planting ratio demands constant attention in order to ensure that the Petit Verdot expresses its full potential.

A character worthy of the finest Margaux, Château La Bessane is a subtle wine that delicately combines richness, generosity and power. It has a feminine style, developing pleasant fruity aromas and offering a generous structure with velvety tannins. Thanks again to its high proportion of Petit Verdot, Château La Bessane has a significant potential to age.

CHATEAU LA GARRICQ : POWERFUL AND DISTINGUISHED

Formerly known as "Château de Graves de Guitignan Brillette", Château La Garricq benefits from a fine terroir, typical of the Moulis-en-Médoc communal appellation, made up of ancient gravel and clay-limestone soil conducive to obtaining well-ripened Petit Verdot (20% of the vines), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) and Merlot (50%).

Château La Garricq offers a perfect expression of the Moulis appellation with its complex, elegant, full-bodied wines. These wines typically have a deep colour and scents of black fruit and liquorice mingled with floral and woody notes. It affirms its personality with a powerful structure, good length and an excellent capacity to age.

Thanks to the creation of the Cru Bourgeois "Official Selection", Château La Garricq, which has barely three hectares of vines, has been recognized as a Cru Bourgeois every year since the 2008 vintage.

LE PETIT VERDOT : A WINEGROWER'S GRAPE

Petit Verdot is a red grape variety that has played a significant role in the history of the Médoc's vineyards. Still sometimes referred to as "Petit Vert" ("Little Green One") due to its late ripening character, Petit Verdot disappeared for many years accused of only ripening once or twice in a decade.

A fragile grape, Petit Verdot requires constant attention from our team in the vineyard: removal of excess growth around the base of the vines, green harvests, exclusively manual harvests and low yields are all necessary if the grapes are to reach optimal ripeness. Capricious, Petit Verdot likes to try our patience, and we often have to wait until the end of the harvests before it is ready to be picked.

Traditionally planted in relatively small quantities, the significant presence of Petit Verdot in the blends for Château La Bessane and Château La Garricq is particularly advantageous. It gives the wines great personality, with a strong colour, aromas of violets, power and tannic richness.