private_tasting.label • Paris
Selection cellar Maison des Millésimes Paris
Château Soutard has the privilege of benefiting from a single 30-hectare vineyard in the heart of the limestone plateau, the holy of holies of Saint-Emilion, with a depth of soil generally less than 30 centimeters. Most of this vineyard benefits from clay-limestone outcrops, with the classically encountered formations of asteria limestone, Castillon clay, calcium molasses and recent colluvium.
This dominant limestone induces wines with true typicality of Saint-Emilion: clean, straight, with a strong aging potential.
The soil is worked in the traditional way, with two shoes on and off per year, mainly in the winter period, as two centuries ago.
With the pavement, the plow moves the earth on the vines, thus smothering the grass. Then the baring, the reverse operation, allows the soil to be removed and brought back to the center of the rows.
We also notice, on some plots, micro-grooves in the limestone. A peculiarity that dates back to the time of Ausone when the Romans dug trenches in the limestone so that the vines could slip in and benefit from a minimum of soil. This ancestral practice was brought up to date in the 18th century.
The grape variety is dominated by Merlot (63%), with Cabernet-Franc (28%), a touch of Cabernet-Sauvignon (7%), and a coquetry, the presence of 2 to 3% Malbec.
The average planting density is 6,500 vines per hectare. Since 2008, all plantations have been made at 8,000 vines per hectare.
Olivier Brunel, crop manager, nicknamed "the man who talks to plants", is not in favor of green harvests which create additional stress for the vines and prefers to anticipate pruning so that these green harvests are reduced to simple adjustments. .
Château Soutard aims to have as few treatments as possible to stay as close as possible to nature, without any fundamentalism. The Soutard team thus conducts respectful practices with common sense on the Saint-Emilion plateau.
The harvest is naturally manual, carried out by a faithful team of pickers. The 10-kilo crates spend one night in a cold room, then are taken to a vibrating sorting table; the grapes are then sorted and destemmed.
A respectful vinification
As soon as they arrive in the cellars, the grapes are sorted by density using brand new equipment, the Tribaie, which isolates the best, perfectly ripe berries and eliminates residues from the start.
The grapes are then placed in small vats, lifted by hoists, and directed by a monorail fixed to the ceiling into the stainless steel and wooden fermentation tanks.
The pre-fermentation maceration lasts about 5 days then, after raising the temperature, alcoholic fermentation begins.
The vat room is built around tapered 60 hectoliter vats in stainless steel and wood, which allow Véronique Corporandy, cellar master, the freedom of technical choices during vinification and ageing.
The alcoholic fermentation lasts about ten days, with pumping over, the intensity and frequency of which gradually decrease.
The malolactic fermentation is carried out half in vats and half in barrels.
The aging is ensured for eighteen months in French oak barrels from eight different cooperages with 60% new barrels each year.
At the end of ageing, the assembly is carried out by the management team of Soutard in the presence of our oenologist consultant with, on average, 70% of Château Soutard and the rest in Jardins de Soutard.
Cancellation policy : Strict
The Maison des Millésimes is a historic wine merchant in the heart of Saint Germain with a sharp selection of wines mainly from Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Rhone Valley. The winery is also known for its... See more
The Maison des Millésimes is a historic wine merchant in the heart of Saint Germain with a sharp selection of wines mainly from Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Rhone Valley. The winery is also known for its depth of vintages and many customers cross Paris (or even more) to come and find some rare vintages for their birthday gifts and / or have fun on old vintages. See less
Languages French
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