France, Bordeaux

This thirty hectare estate, which is almost all in one plot, is in a privileged position on the limestone plateau in Saint Seurin de Cadourne in the Haut Médoc, immediately to the north of Saint Estèphe.

The vineyard is on a classic limestone sand and clay soil, on a series of ridges with gentle south-facing slopes. Substantially replanted after it was bought by Max de Pourtales in 1998, it is now 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Max and his team have been working towards completely organic viticulture since he took over, and the estate now certified (from 2018), with certification for biodynamics in 2019.

The wine made in classical fashion and is aged in barrel for a year, with 25% new wood, under the eye of consulting oenologist Eric Boissenot.

Max is clear about what he is trying to achieve "My philosophy is not to make wines that are very extracted, which one can do anywhere, but on the contrary, to make fine and elegant wines. That doesn't mean that they don't have body, but it is important to respect the balance and freshness, which is the unique appeal of great wines from Bordeaux."