Château de Parenchère Cuvée Raphaël
Wine Description
Château de Parenchère is located at the easternmost reaches of the Bordeaux region, bordering the Dordogne department. The total size of the estate is 188 hectares of which 67 hectares are dedicated to vineyard (63 hectares of red grape varieties and 4 hectares of white). The estate dates from the 16th century and the château was built in 1731.
The winemaking cellar was designed to have a plot by plot approach in order to respect the variety of soils and exposures of Parenchère. Grapes are harvested at low temperatures. Six to eight cold maceration precedes fermentation which occurs in concrete tanks. The wines are aged in concrete tanks or barriques, depending on the wine.
Cuvée Raphaël is the flagship wine of Parenchère and is made in memory of the renovator of the estate: Raphaël Gazaniol. It is produced from a selection of the finest plots and oldest vines with especially low yields. The vines are 40 years old on average and are planted on well-draining chalky clay soils. Cuvée Raphaël is aged in a mix of new and used French oak barriques.