Producer: Château Les Graves de Viaud

Philippe Betschart

Where?

The Côtes de Bourg is a small appellation spanning fifteen communes along the Gironde estuary. Close to the Charentes, it is one of the northernmost terroirs on Bordeaux's right bank: only the Côtes de Blaye are further north. Compared to the regional average, the appellation enjoys a moderate climate due to its proximity to the estuary ("the river," as they say in the region): a little cooler in winter, a little cooler in summer. Its hillside topography has earned it the nickname "Little Switzerland of the Gironde." It is in the heart of this Little Switzerland that Château Les Graves de Viaud is located, in a beautiful setting of vineyards, meadows, and woods. In 2010, Philippe Betschart purchased the estate from a retiring winemaker and involved his entire family in taking over the vineyard. He kept on the two workers who had been working there for over eight years. The transition to biodynamics, planned from the outset, was quick and easy: when the estate was purchased, the soils were already in good condition and quickly regained their balance. The winery, already equipped, required only a few adjustments. In ten years of viticulture at the château, the Betschart family had the time not only to practice demanding biodynamics, based primarily on soil conservation, but also to explore the possibilities of vegan winemaking by minimizing the use of animal products in winemaking.

Terroir, plots, and grape varieties

The estate covers fifteen hectares, including eleven and a half hectares of vines, on a south-facing slope. The vineyard lies on soil characteristic of the Côtes de Bourg: sandy-clay gravel rolled by the Dordogne River from the Massif Central, in a red-colored sandy-clay and silty-clay matrix (reddish clay, rich in iron). This very old, oxidized gravel, of small size, constitutes light and well-drained soils, except in the clay veins. The grape varieties are also typical of the appellation: Cabernet Franc (Philippe's favorite grape variety), Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot dominate.

Growing Methods

Château Les Graves de Viaud, certified organic, biodynamic (Demeter), and vegan (Eve label), is committed to viticulture that respects the environment and life. Bordeaux mixture, plant-based preparations, and yeast and bacterial fermentation are used to control pests and diseases. The soils are fertilized with plant seedlings and biodynamic preparations. The estate adopts a farming method that respects the soil (conservation agriculture) and animal life (elimination of manure). Two annual sowings are carried out: cereals and fava beans first to facilitate water supply through the roots, and a second sowing post-harvest to create organic matter. No animal compost is used and no plowing is practiced: plant cover is controlled by weeding and scalping (moderate mowing). In the absence of plowing, decavalillonnage (clearing the base of the vines) is an important operation.

Vinification

The Demeter specifications require vinification without additives. Fermentation is carried out using indigenous yeasts. Extractions are deep and gentle, either by punching down the cap or by racking the grapes. Vatting is long (at least twenty-five days and up to three months). The plot selection is meticulous: the blend is generally made at the harvest to promote harmony between the grape varieties and the plots. The wines are of two types: fruit wines, aged for a year in vats or stoneware and terracotta amphorae, with weekly stirring on the lees; and vintages aged in barrels. The size, age of the barrels, and aging time depend on the type of wine, maturity, and vintage.

The Wines

The preferred grape variety, Cabernet Franc, is cultivated with low yields. It therefore produces concentrated and mineral wines with saline notes. This salinity is due to the oxidation of the deep clay. Since the soil is very cool, there is no need to ensure overripe Cabernets: this is one of the great virtues of the Bordeaux terroir. Of the entire organic and biodynamic production, some vintages are natural: O and Les Cadets, which we have selected.