Vineyard

With over 90 different plots scattered over the entire Saint-Estèphe appellation, Château Petit Bocq gathers a remarkable diversity of terroirs into one unique and expressive wine.

This patchwork of plots allows us to take advantage of the many riches of Saint-Estèphe’s terroir, a land known for its versatility and exceptional qualities. This is where the alchemy of Château Petit Bocq’s subtle blend takes place.

Every year, we replant dead or missing vines to increase root competition between old and new vines and optimise production.

Vine density, which is usually very high in the Haut-Médoc, ranges from 8,333 to 10,000 vines/ha depending on the plot.

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New vines are planted at a density of 8,333 vines/ha, i.e. 1 metre between rows and 1.2 metres between vines, to allow for optimal sun exposure and good aeration of the bunches, while maintaining strong competition between vines to ensure the quality of the vintage.

Over the years, the balance of varietals has tilted towards Cabernet Sauvignon (49%), the most typical and widespread grape variety in the Haut-Médoc area. The rest of the estate features a mix of Merlot (48%), Petit Verdot (2%) planted in 2009 and Cabernet Franc (1%). Our current strategy is to replant less Merlot and increase the proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc in order to further enhance the already unique character of our Saint-Estèphe wine.

Soil management relies exclusively on organic soil amendments. The use of herbicide has been completely banned and replaced by enhanced mechanical weed control.

We look for more eco-friendly ways to fight fungal diseases based on the guidelines developed by Terra Vitis, a French environmental certification that promotes nature-friendly practices amongst winegrowers.

Canopy management plays a pivotal role in our production. It is performed manually every year, taking into account the specificities of each vintage. When the need arises, excess leaves on the east-facing side can be removed, anytime after berry formation.

Depending on the vigour and exposure of each plot, a second leaf removal is sometimes necessary on the west-facing side. “Green harvesting” allows us to limit yields in order to obtain higher sugar concentration, but also to give clusters breathing space so they are less likely to be affected by fungal diseases. Everything is designed to fit the needs of specific plots and specific vintages, we manually untangle or remove clusters of bunches that tend to keep moisture and delay ripening.

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VINEYARD

New vines are planted at a density of 8,333 vines/ha, i.e. 1 metre between rows and 1.2 metres between vines, to allow for optimal sun exposure and good aeration of the bunches, while maintaining strong competition between vines to ensure the quality of the vintage.

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Canopy management plays a pivotal role in our production. It is performed manually every year, taking into account the specificities of each vintage. When the need arises, excess leaves on the east-facing side can be removed, anytime after berry formation.

READ MORE