Château Côte de Baleau

Château Côte de Baleau - a gift from the Sun King

The ChâteauCôte de Baleau is a wine estate in Saint-Émilion. The château was built in 1643 and passed into the hands of the Reiffers family during the following reign of Louis XIV, in gratitude for their participation in numerous campaigns. For many centuries, the family took care of the estate, until it finally passed to the Cuvelier family in 2013, themselves owners of the Clos Fourtet and Chateau Poujeaux estates. The family is supported by the famous oenologist Michel Rolland.

The terroir of Château Côte de Baleau

17 hectares of vineyards belong to Château Côte de Baleau, 15 of which are classified as Grand Cru Classé. The soil, typical for the region, consists mainly of clay and lime, which offers ideal conditions for the cultivated grape varieties. Three classic grape varieties of the region are grown:

• Merlot (70% area share)
• Cabernet Franc (20 % area share)
• Cabernet Sauvignon (10 % area share)

The vines are around 40 years old. Since 1998, however, individual vines have been gradually replaced. The planting density is 8500 plants per hectare. The work in the vineyard is very thorough and classical, so every second row is dug up, a green harvest is carried out to reduce the yield specifically, and the grapes are harvested exclusively by hand. 

Bordeaux-style vinification at Château Côte de Baleau

In the cellar of Château Côte de Baleau , the grapes are stored for 4 days at 10°C before fermentation begins in steel tanks. This extends over 30 days, during which the grapes macerate, before being transferred to barrels for maturation. These are (of course) made of French oak, half of the barrels are renewed every year. Maturation takes 18 months before the wine is drawn into the bottle.

The wines from Château Côte de Baleau are best stored for a few years before opening. Decanting for an hour is a good idea. The vintages of the estate regularly reach high ratings in wine magazines or critics, so that you are definitely in good hands if you are looking for a high-quality Bordeaux.