Outstanding terroir

Terroir

The soils are made up of fast-draining gravel which, combined with the quick- warming air of the surrounding urban environment, brings about an early start to the vine-growing season
The fast-draining nature of this terroir allows the vines to delve down into a healthy,almost infertile sub-soil that enables a deep rooting system.

The best exposed plots are planted with the Cabernet-Sauvignon variety, which can attain high levels of ripeness here.

Vineyard

Soil and sub-soil: a layer of Gunz-type Pyrenean gravel.

  • - 20.50 hectares (49.5 acres) planted with red grape varieties: Merlot 35% / Cabernet-Sauvignon 60% / Petit Verdot 5%
  •  - 2.70 hectares (4.94 acres) planted with white grape varieties: Sauvignon Blanc 80% / Sémillon 20%


Average age of the vines: 25 years
Density of plantation: 6,900 vines/hectare to 10,000 vines/hectare.

Vine-growing methods

  • - Traditional ploughing.
  • - Bordelaise pruning, with 2 canes of 3 buds per vine
  • - De-leafing on the east-side of the row at end of June/beginning July
  • - Crop thinning end July/beginning August, leaving 5 to 7 bunches in the Merlot and Sémillon and 6 to 10 bunches in the Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.
  • - Hand-harvesting spread out over a period of around 6 weeks.
  • - Red varieties : manual sorting table over a harvesting bin.
  • - White varieties: harvested in small crates.

DOWNLOAD THE MAP OF THE ESTATE’S VINEYARD PLOTS

DISCOVER THE VIDEOS OF PICQUE CAILLOU