Bordeaux-4/10- 4/13/2016

Downtown Bordeaux Walk continuation Chateau Citran Le Noailles

Chateau Citran-4/11/2016

Originally we wanted to go see Chateau Lafite Rothschild but took a wrong turn and ended up at Chateau Citran really by chance.  We arrived at the Chateau around 4:30PM and it was deserted.  We looked around and one of the person representing the Chateau told us he has 30 minutes and he will be glad to give us a personal tour.

Chateau Citran is one of the oldest winegrowing estates in the Medoc, located on the Left Bank of France’s Bordeaux wine region in the commune of Avensan. It is mentioned in records dating as far back as 1235, at which time it belonged to the Marquis de Donissan. His descendants owned the estate for six centuries but, as time went on, there were only a few remaining vines growing on small, scattered plots. Fortunately, Monsieur Clauzel restructured the vineyard in the 19th century. Its hundred hectares of beautiful gravel soil and excellent winemaking facilities make Citran worthy of holding its head high among the great growths and finest wines of Bordeaux. Included in the 1932 classification of crus bourgeois,

The estate also produces a second wine named Moulins de Citran

 

As soon as you pass the porch, you can see wild peacocks roaming freely on the property.  Originally, the Japanese who bought the Chateau back in 1986 brought in a few peacocks and now there are about 20 of them on the property. 

Peacock is the logo of Chateau Citran.

Really beautiful bird.  People are not allowed to pet them as they want them to remind wild.

 

From its origins the Marquis de Donnissan was the owner of the estate with a 13th-century fortress, the property remained with the Donnissan family for six hundred years until 1832 when it was acquired by the Clauzel family.  By 1945 (end of world war 2) the estate was derelict and viticulture was at a steep decline, the Miailhe family acquired the estate restored and rebuilt the vineyards and all the facilities. After a decades which reestablished the estate's reputation, it was sold in 1986 to Japanese Société Touko Haus of the holdings company Fujimoto.

In 1997 the property came to Groupe Taillan, led by Jacques Merlaut, who own several properties in the region, including Château Ferrière, Château Gruaud-Larose, Château Chasse-Spleen and Château Haut-Bages-Liberal. 

 

The chateau is inhabited these days and I am not sure what it is use for.

 

The whole estate is 410 hectares (1,013 acres) and the vineyard is around 100 hectares (247 acres) made of two large parcels: one around the Château, and the other one is a little further up, surrounding the village.

 

 The grape varieties found on the vineyard at Citran are made of about 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet franc and about  420% Merlot.

When harvesting is done, grapes are carried into the winery to receive several cares: grape selection, stemming and berry crushing to obtain the grape juice that will be turned into wine!

The wine will be store in Oak barrels (left), on the right are cement containers that is not longer in use.

Throughout several stages of transformation, punctuated by regular and scrupulous tasting, the final blending results will emerge from a combination of three grape varieties : merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc.

 

This room is really huge.

I was told that the Chateau Citran does not use the cement (left) containers as it is too labor intensive to clean and to maintain. 

 

 

Ageing will last about 15 months.

Ageing  Barrels are rigorously selected and a third are renewed every year.  Old barrels are re-sold for about €25 to €30.

 

They just had a huge event in this room and all the barrels are moved to the end of the room to make room for people to mingle.

 

Produced by the greatest barrel makers, these are made of oak-tree.  Oak essence brings structure, balance and delicacy to the wine.
 

Rows and rows of barrels of wine.The wine is bottled at the Château.

 

Chateau Citran is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Haut-Médoc rated Cru Bourgeois.

Our tour guide (I forgot his name) was such a delight!  Originally he told us he only had 30 minutes but ended spending close to 2hours with us. He gave us a full tour, took his time to explain how the grapes are harvested, processed, aged, and then stored.

We just walked in Chateau Citran without any expectation and it turned out to be the highlight of our day. 

Our tour guy took very good care of us and made us feel like we are on a private tour.  It was really a privilege to tour the facility in his company.

 

Tasting time!

He pull out a 2009 Chateau Citran red bottle of wine for us to taste.

2009 was a very year for French wine.

Hoa then asked if we could try something around €40/€50.  Our tour just smile and said it simply does not exit at Chateau Citran.  Their price range is in the mid €20.

They take pride is producing good wine at a very good value.

 

Opening and serving the wine.

We are listing to our tour guide about the wine at Chateau Citran...

We are very grateful with our tour guide and gave him a nice which also made his day!

 

Next.. Dinner at Le Noailles

 

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