Castellum 2019 biodynamic red wine 75cl

Castellum is the term used in the Middle Ages for the central fortified village Castrum, located on the heights of the Languedoc. The name of this cuvée evokes the fortifications of the Cité de Carcassonne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Comments from Guillaume Barraud, Deputy Director of the Estates:

The Castellum cuvée comes from the finest parcels of the estate, located on an argilo-gréseux hillside facing the magnificent city of Carcassonne. The vines sit at a climatological crossroads between the Mediterranean and oceanic influence. It is for this reason that grape varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec thrive there particularly well. These grape varieties, through daily monitoring of the grapes during the harvest which extends until late October, reach full phenolic ripeness while retaining surprisingly fresh levels. The result is a wine with silky tannins that marry perfectly with those from 12 months of ageing in oak barrels, with a very beautiful power alongside a lingering freshness and elegance. These wines also need time to age in bottle to express the full potential of this wine, which is made possible by this 2016 vintage.

Comments from our Head Sommelier:

Castellum 2016 is a red wine offering a complex aromatic profile ranging from chocolate to small black fruits, with notes of menthol and leather. On the palate, the tannins are supple and balanced by a beautiful minerality. The finish is long and indulgently fruity. 2016 is a sunny vintage that allowed the harvest of fully ripe and healthy fruit. 

The work begins in the vineyard with meticulous attention to obtain healthy, well-exposed foliage. The grapes must reach an optimal level of ripeness. A plot-by-plot selection is carried out and the harvest is done by hand, with destemming and sorting of the berries.

The winemaking is traditional. The grapes are destemmed and then undergo a long maceration (at a temperature of 26°C in temperature-controlled tanks) to promote the expression of fruit. Pressing takes place with care taken to separate the press wines; the wines are then racked in order to remove the coarsest lees before malolactic fermentation. Following this, the wines are racked again and then aged in French oak barrels.

• Merlot
• Cabernet Franc
• Malbec
• Marselan