By Les Vignobles Robin
Les Valentines

Wine Details
Vintage: 2018
Grapes: 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc
Appellation: Saint Emilion Grand Cru
Consulting Oenologist: Stephane Derenoncourt

Vineyard Notes
Surface Area: 7.30 ha
Terroir: Ancient sand on clay (1.80 ha), clay and limestone on slopes and plateaus (5.50 ha)
Average Vine Age: 40 years
Average Vine Density: 7,500 plants/hectare
Yield: 35 hl/ha

Production Notes
Growing Practices: Traditional soil work with no use of herbicides. Suckering, de-budding, selection of bunches during flowering, leaf thinning in June and August.
Harvest: Sorted in the vineyard before harvest, the grapes are then collected in small crates, de-stemmed, sorted, and not crushed.
Vinification: For the utmost efficiency and precision, each grape variety is placed in its own vats. The harvests are undertaken with the help of small crates. The grapes are sorted in the parcels and at the cellar. They are then placed by gravity into 10- to 30-hl wooden vats. The extraction is effectuated by soft punching down of the cap of skins. The wine is then run-off together with its lees into oak barrels to undergo malolactic fermentation.
Aging: After malolactic fermentation, the wine is then aged, on its lees, in oak barrels for 14 to 16 months

Food Pairing
It will perfectly accompany grilled red meats, stews, game, or aged cheeses.
[Information provided by DHI Selections]