The Art of WinemakingChâteau de La Ligne is located in Lignan de Bordeaux, a village of 700 inhabitants on what is locally known as the "right bank" of Bordeaux, in the heart of the Bordeaux & Entre Deux Mers appellations. The current high density level of 6,100 vines per hectare in the vineyard is well above the district average of 4,100 and approaching the average plantation density of 8,700 for Bordeaux classified growths.
This high density planting creates beneficial competition between the vines so that the root system goes deep in the soil to find nourishment and protection from adverse climatic conditions. High trellising ensures ideal leaf coverage and the necessary photosynthesis which will create the complex range of natural components including sugar for alcohol, polysaccharides for aromas and texture, anthocyanes for tannins and colour.
The choice of grape variety, although classic for the region, was combined with an astute selection of low producing root stock adapted to the clay & gravel soil of the vineyard. Merlot provides elegance and texture, Cabernet Sauvignon provides structure and Cabernet Franc an additional touch of complexity to our wine.
From its dominant position on a south-facing ridge, our vineyard’s soil boasts an ideal mixture of gravel and clay on the higher parcels that gently lean downwards into a combination of clay and limestone, terminating with a little area of sand, gravel and clay lower eastern portion. In addition, the vineyard’s north-south orientation maximises the benefits of sun exposure.
The stately Renaissance chateau is surrounded by this picturesque vineyard which is discerningly planted with the traditional red grape varieties of Bordeaux Merlot (60%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) and Cabernet Franc (10%) optimising the alliance with a diverse soil structure and hygrometry to obtain a balance of fruit concentration, exuberance, structure and finesse.
This combination of soil, meticulous vineyard management and modern vinification techniques associated with approximately 12 months’ barrel ageing in carefully selected French and American oak, produces a classic, yet smooth, red Bordeaux, “fruit of the vines and work of human hands”.