Soil characteristics : Gravelly hilltop • Clay slope on a limestone base • Sand-clay zone
Grape varieties : 49% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 4%Petit Verdot
Density of planting : 6500 vines/ha
Management of vines :
-Double Guyot pruning
-Traditional ploughing four times
-Integrated production
-Optimization of soil/plant balance
-Rationalized canopy management
-Manual harvests with successive selective harvests in crates
Vinification :
destemming, sorting table, crushing, manual punching down, rationalized pumping over, alcoholic fermentation between 25° and 28°C, maceration 26 days
Maturing : 12 months in French oak barrels, 1/3 new barrels
Average annual production : 20,000 bottles of red
Tasting :
Couhins La Gravette/La Dame de Couhins, Château Couhins’ second wine, is made in the same way as the first wine, from a selection of batches that are specified at the blending stage. Wines that do not present the required qualities are used to produce a third wine: La Ballisque. La Dame de Couhins or Couhins La Gravette therefore benefit from the same quality standards as the grand vin, both in the vineyard and in the winery. A shorter maturing period enables it to express its fruity, supple character at an early age.
