Viticulture
The Château Villemaurine vineyard is managed and monitored on a vine by vine basis in which a permanent and harmonious interaction has been established between man, the land and the vines.
Like a carefully tended garden, nothing is overlooked, and each gesture makes a valuable contribution to the natural and optimal thriving of the vines and the soil. The most natural vine-growing practices are combined with traditional methods, and the latest viticultural advances are carefully taken into account. By ploughing the soil and refusing to apply herbicides, and by planting a winter cereal cover crop in the rows, the soils are aerated, and life in the subsoil is encouraged to thrive. These soils are made up of a layer of clay over the plateau’s Asteria limestone and are currently planted with 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. They take full advantage of the sub-soil’s natural ability to absorb the water accumulated during periods of rain and to restore it to the vines during periods of drought.
Monitored vine by vine, with each plant carefully marked out, the vine canopy is tended according to the needs of the vintage with de-budding, de-suckering and crop thinning if necessary, all of which are done by hand.
The health of the vines is kept at an optimal level right up the harvest, which takes place when the berries have reached perfect ripeness. Yields are determined on a vine-by vine basis, allowing excellent quality to be achieved in each vintage.