Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac
AOC Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
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The rising value of Saint-Emilion Grand Cru wines
Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac is situated on the stony clay-flint terrace known locally as ‘Graves de Saint-Emilion’ (Saint-Emilion stones), which stretches to the north west of the village towards the communes of Libourne and Pomerol. The region is reputed notably for its high quality, extremely delicate, elegant wines.
We set our sights high when we took over this perfectly formed Saint-Emilion gem in 2005, and today we are very proud to see the expression of this magnificent terroir shine in our wines.
Just like Pomerol, in many locations the subsoil contains distinctive blue clay, which plays a magical role given its heavenly alliance with Merlot.Franck Dubourdieu
Key facts
93/100
Wine Enthusiast
2005
Dourthe takes over the management of the estate.
0
CMR / chemical fertilisers / pesticides / herbicides
Planting
9,5 Ha Merlot
5,5 Ha Cabernet Franc
Soil profile
An exceptional terroir with a subsoil comprising ‘molasses du Fronsadais’ and green sandy clays, overlayed with browned sandy colluvium
Total surface area
15 Ha
Terroir
Located opposite the famous cru classé properties of Château Figeac and Cheval Blanc, Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac benefits from an exceptional flint-gravel terroir with the additional benefit of an undulating vein of blue clay in the sub-soil. The clay allows the vine sufficient access to water as it grows, and while the grapes are ripening to their juicy best. Saint-Emilion is the terroir of choice for Merlot, which draws its rounded, elegant character from the clay subsoils of Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac.
In contrast, great Cabernet Franc flourishes on the predominantly flint-gravel plots.
As soon as Dourthe took over the estate in 2005, studies wre commissioned to draw up a detailed mapping of soil types, which identified 16 plots or micro-plots of similar character. Specifically tailored viticultural
This formerly classified terroir comprises 16 plots or micro-plots of similar character.
Viticulture
The vineyard is HVE 3 and Terra Vitis certified and managed according to the environmental principles of integrated viticulture, whereby each intervention is specifically tailored to individual plot. This approach guarantees exceptionally healthy grapes, while remaining in harmony with the vine and terroir.
Harvesting is carried out manually, and is evenly staggered over time depending on the ripeness of each plot, to ensure consistency in the parcels making up the blend.
Green harvesting helps to control :
– vine vigour
– cropping levels per vine
– consistent fruit quality
And to optimise grape ripeness, we apply:
– Guyot poussard pruning
– bud-rubbing, lateral shoot removal, leaf-stripping and secondary shoot removal
– green harvesting to retain only the bunches with consistent ripeness.
Guyot Poussard.
Traditional ploughing, machine weeding. Manual debudding, desuckering, leaf thinning and lateral shoot removal.
Focusing on organic and biological control agents. No CMR pesticides. Pheromone traps. Sustainable cover planting, temporary sowing depending on plot vigour.
Grapes of inconsistent ripeness are removed from mid-veraison onward as required. Manual harvest, intra-plot selection. Densimetric sorting.
Winemaking and ageing
The importance of keeping the grapes intact follows through to the winery, which is equipped with cutting-edge winemaking equipment, backed by Dourthe’s experience and skills gleaned across its various properties.
Renovated and extended in 2006, the tank room now holds an impressive selection of new, small, stainless-steel tanks and wooden vats in varying sizes, to cater for small-batch vinification. The batches are then aged in barriques for 12-14 months in a magnificent, circular barrel hall, a fine example of contemporary architecture.
The grape receival area is equipped with a vibrating destemmer-separator, attached to a long sorting table. This equipment ensures any remaining plant matter is removed at this stage.
From the earliest records of the famous Feret wine guide, the estate was regarded as one of the finest Crus in Saint-Emilion.
The team
Bertrand Arpin, Estate Manager
Frédéric Bonnaffous, Chief Winemaker
COME AND VISIT US
In the midst of the vineyard, 3 minutes from the village of Saint-Emilion, the Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac team invites you to discover the estate in a friendly and authentic atmosphere. To suit our different visits and tastings, choose your way to unlock the secrets of wine.
Book your visit at VISITESGBLF@DOURTHE.COM
Our History
2012
A symbol
The cross that has featured on labels since the 2012 vintage pays tribute to the origins of the estate: 3 branches symbolising the 3 smallholdings which originally formed the estate, which in turn is represented by the fourth branch. It is also a nod to the Christian origins of the village of Saint-Emilion. The cross can be seen on the external wall of the barrel hall.
2005
Dourthe and Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac
Dourthe now manages operations at Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru.
1997
A circular cellar
The Parent family acquire the estate and construct the circular barrel hall capable of housing 400 barriques, inaugurated with the 2000 vintage.
1955
Grand Cru Classé
Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac is promoted to Grand Cru Classé status in 1954, a status that would be renwed in 1969 and 1986.
1937-1956
Successive owners
In 1937, the Nérini family sell the estate to Maurice Alloo, a Belgian exchange broker, in 1937. The château was sold on again in 1955 to Georges Clément, a distiller and poet from the Gironde, whose works were recited in the parklands. Edmond Carrère acquired the property in 1956 and adopted the motto featuring in the Directory of brands and Appellations d’Origine in 1941: “To taste me is to love me, and me alone”.
1924
Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac
René Bouchart and his son-in-law Emile Nérini, a composer and pianist, own several plots of vines under the name of Château de la Marzelle, and are required by law to add the prefix ‘Grand Barrail’ to ‘Lamarzelle’ for their respective wines. On the passing of René Bouchart in November, the two estates come together to form Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac.
1910
Château Lamarzelle Figeac
Due to a court order following the dispute between Mademoiselle Godeau and the owner of Château Figeac on the use of Figeac’s name, she must from now on release her wine under the name of Château Lamarzelle Figeac, instead of Figeac-Lamarzelle.
1906
Clos Lamarzelle
René Bouchart acquires Clos Lamarzelle from Joseph Bertrand.
1903
Mr. Bouchard raises the original 18th century manorhouse to the ground to make way for the construction of a chateau, commissioning architect Louis-Marie Cordonnier to take care of the design. The chateau was completed in 1903. One of its distinguishing features is the windows on one of the chateau, each indiviually designed. Interestingly, the building is an exact replica of another chateau Bouchard had commissioned in Valenciennes, where he owned a brewery. The château was sold at the end of the 80s to be transformed into a luxury hotel.
1895
Origin of the estate
Known originally as Lamarzelle Figeac, the estate is rebuilt entirely in 1895 after the phylloxera crisis by a manufacturer from northern France, a certain Mr. Bouchard. The chateau is the fusion of the ancient small holdings of Clos Lamarzelle Grand Barrail and Lamarzelle Figeac, which were separated from Château Figeac in the second half of the 19th century.
Gallery
