Château Lagrezette

This wine originates from a small 2.7 ha vineyard with an East/West exposure and situated on the third terrace of the Lot. Yields are kept between 15 and 20 hl/ha, and the annual production is approximately 7,000 bottles. This 100 % Auxerrois cuvee is vinified in a wooden foudre and aged for 28 months in new oak barrels. A true vin de garde, Le Pigeonnier will age gracefully over some twenty-five years.The world-famous wine critic, Robert M. Parker Jr., ranked Le Pigeonnier as an "outstanding" wine in issue 130 of his bimonthly magazine The Wine Advocate. He rated the 1997 (90) points, the 1998 (92) points, and the 1999 (94) points.

Grape varieties: Malbec 100 %

Soil type: third terrace - clay and limestone

Average age of vines: 20 years

Consulting oenologist: Michel Rolland

Vinification method: a four-day cold maceration at 12 °C, followed by fermentation and prolonged maceration at 30 °C. Daily pumping-overs and punching-downs. Malolactic fermentation occurs in new oak barrels.

Fermentation vessels: oak foudre of 75 hl capacity

Ageing: 28 months in new oak barrels (Seguin-Moreau)

Average annual production: 6,000 - 7,000 bottles