Château Le Doyenné, Côtes de Bordeaux, 2016

Situated in the heart of the "Premières Côtes de Bordeaux" appellation, this 13-hectare estate lies on the right bank of the Garonne, just 15 km from Bordeaux. The vineyard itself covers 8 uninterrupted hectares of gravel plateau and clay-limestone hillsides, where 30-year-old vines are planted at a density of 5,500 per hectare. Spanning 11 meticulously monitored plots, the site benefits from a south-southwest exposure for maximum sunshine and a river-proximate microclimate that maintains essential climatic balance. Traditional cropping techniques - including ploughing, debudding, leaf thinning, and green harvesting - are strictly employed to ensure the production of top-quality grapes.

To maintain fruit integrity, the harvest is conducted entirely by hand, organised plot by plot and variety by variety to ensure perfect ripeness and health. Once the bunches are sorted, gently destemmed, and crushed, they undergo vatting and fermentation at a controlled temperature of 26°C. The process concludes with a one-month maceration period at 30°C to finalise the wine's character and structure.