« The newly-renovated cellar at Lespault-Martillac was designed for winemaking on a par with the greatest estates in Bordeaux. That is because the terroir deserves it! We introduced small 60 and 80 hectolitre vats filled by gravity flow in order to fine tune the final blend to reflect our vineyard management system.
Extraction is adapted to the characteristics of the vintage and done with utmost care to respect the purity of the fruit… »
« At Lespault-Martillac, like at Chevalier, the white wine is fermented entirely in barrel on its lees, with regular bâtonnage (stirring with a stick). Our priority for the red wine is to maintain the grapes whole and unbruised, especially the skins, which are extremely important to the quality of the tannic texture. Pumping over and pigeage (punching down the cap) are done manually. I would like to point out that the red wine is also aged on the lees for the first few months… »
« People often compare Domaine de Chevalier to a great Médoc because of its tannic backbone, straightforwardness, and remarkable elegance. Lespault-Martillac’s style, on the other hand, is much more immediately charming, with natural silkiness and a smooth, generous, almost opulent side. This great terroir, with its old Merlot vines, has the ability to produce superb feminine wines. I would very much like to emphasise this aspect and bring out what I’ll call the wine’s slightly Pomerol character… »
« After conducting a number of experiments, we know that we need not worry about anything rustic in the wine, as opposed to those from certain other parts of the appellation, especially when the grapes are not entirely ripe. In any event, we make sure not to over-extract in order to maintain balance – the cornerstone of our winemaking philosophy. We aim above all to bring out the wine’s intrinsic finesse, power, and complexity, as well as its voluptuousness and violet aromas… »
“Bottles of Château Lespault-Martillac project a positive, updated image of tradition, like the wine they contain.”
« Blessed with this beautiful terroir and its enormous possibilities, it is definitely tempting to give oneself free reign and not feel hemmed in by a strictly traditional approach… Why not try cold soaking a beautiful vat of Merlot or ageing a small lot of wine in heavily toasted barrels? Yes, I admit I’m inclined to define the wine’s personality differently, but not to excess, of course, and always in keeping with what the terroir has to say…
In keeping with this spirit, we decided to market the wine in a limited edition aesthetically-pleasing bottle based on an 18th century model. Thanks to their short capsule and modern grand cru style label with warm colours, bottles of Château Lespault-Martillac project a positive, updated image of tradition, reflecting the wine they contain. The wine and the way it’s packaged are just as I had hoped for: attractive, joyous, and delectable… It’s true that what I aim for when I make a wine more than anything else is to provide pleasure… »
