France, Bordeaux

Jean-Pierre Duprat is a skilled winemaker with a well situated vineyard in the Graves de Langon which turns out great wines even in the most difficult vintages. We have bought from him for at least twenty vintages and his wines have always epitomised the best of the best value from the Graves. Very careful élevage in barrels of a good spread of ages (a touch of new wood, but mostly two, three or four year old barrels) is the key here, honing the initial fruit to a fine delicacy. This 12.2 hectare vineyard is planted in vines whose average age is 25 yrs and produces a wine cépage of 55% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 8% combined of Petit-Verdot and Malbec. The château sits atop a hill, composed mainly of gravel and coarse sand with a gravel-clay subsoil, that offers excellent drainage for the property. Hence his wines are less affected by late season or harvest time rains.