Wine
The vineyards at Château La Garde are situated in Martillac and extend over 54 hectares in the Pessac-Leognan appellation
Comprehensive soil studies on the estate have identified 27 distinctive soil types, a diversity that is highly unusual for the Bordeaux region.
— The first time I came to La Garde, what struck me the most was the incredible diversity of soils; I believe it is this that truly sets it apart.
Frédéric BONNAFFOUS
The estate is comprised of a total of 50 individual vineyard blocks. 50 blocks showcasing 50 different expressions of a single grape variety planted on a specific soil-type, with a specific aspect and from a vine of a specific age.
The estate is planted with:
With an in-depth knowledge of the soils, with pin-point precision the teams at Château La Garde can determine the ideal terroir for each grape variety.
Cabernet Sauvignon on the gravel plateau (the highest point)
Sauvignon Blanc on the vein of limestone
Merlot on clay-limestone
1 - Cabernet Sauvignon on the gravel plateau (the highest point)
2 - Sauvignon Blanc on the vein of limestone
3 - Merlot on clay-limestone
Cabernet Sauvignon thrives on the deep gravel plateau, while Merlot reveals its rounded, generous character on clay-limestone, and Petit Verdot flourishes on clay-gravel plots.
Sauvignon Blanc exudes freshness and purity drawn from the calcareous vein traversing the estate and offers unique aromatic expression. Semillon acquires its balanced character on the plots of clay-gravel.
The gravel soils are composed of pebbles, sand and clay and are extremely well-drained.
Here the vine develops deep roots and yields powerful, elegant wines.
Limestone soils are renowned for their free-draining, heat-retaining properties, which in turn promote good ripening in the grapes.
Limestone promotes naturally high acidity levels in the wines, imparting freshness and vitality.
With their fine texture and water-retaining capacity, clay soils offer the vine very specific growing conditions.
Rich in minerals, they yield complex, aromatic wines.
Rigorous growing methods and the utmost respect for biodiversity lie at the heart of working practices, thus avoiding herbicides and insecticides. We promote the vine’s natural balance, managing the soils with great consideration, adapting ploughing techniques, using organic fertilisers and cover planting.
Ludovic has managed viticulture at Château La Garde since 2020.
With more than two decades’ experience working with Dourthe, and passionate about his profession, he oversees the vines throughout the growing cycle.
From winter pruning, which is essential to establish balance in the plant, through to the harvest, a crucial time for determining the style of the wine, he ensures that every step is carried out with the utmost respect for the terroir.
In partnership with the Bird Protection League (LPO), an organisation that has worked for several years on biodiversity in vineyard settings within the Gironde region, a biodiversity inventory and mapping were implemented in 2022
The study identified 56 different bird species observed in and around the estate vineyards, including 17 protected species due to population decline. In addition, the study observed 33 species of butterfly, 17 dragonflies and 10 bat species. Around the estate’s natural water sources, 5 protected species of amphibians were also noted
