Saint-Emilion is arguably Bordeaux’s most idiosyncratic appellation. However, as Cheval Blanc’s Pierre-Olivier Clouet tells us, it’s the area’s heterogeneity that makes it so thrilling. We caught up with the dynamic winemaker about easy methods to outline the undefinable – and why it’s decided to steer the appellation into a brand new period
Saint-Emilion has all the time been tough to outline. In contrast to different high terroirs of Bordeaux – Margaux with its silky tannins and fragrant aptitude, Pauillac with its graphite minerality and construction, and Pomerol’s opulent, wealthy palate – the profile of Saint-Emilion has by no means been really easy to determine. Past that, the wines may be frustratingly inconsistent in high quality too, making it Bordeaux’s most idiosyncratic appellation.
Past the variation in high quality and flavour profile, a political splintering of the appellation in 2021, leading to three of the 4 Premier Grand Cru Classé A wineries (Cheval Blanc, Ausone and Angélus) withdrawing from the classification has introduced additional turmoil to this seemingly troubled appellation.
“Maybe,” Ch. Cheval Blanc’s Technical Director Pierre-Olivier Clouet begins, “the various idiosyncrasies of Saint-Emilion are simpler to grasp, while you realise it’s the largest appellation in France, consisting of over 800 growers on practically 6,000 hectares of vineyards.” Put in context, the second largest commune in France, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, is nearly half that space at 3,300 hectares. Given its massive space, Saint-Emilion doesn’t have the identical homogeneity of soil as Bordeaux’s different appellations and it’s this, Clouet believes, that goes a way in accounting for the area’s selection.
Whereas lots of the high estates are located on the limestone plateau, on the outskirts of the historic city itself, the appellation’s borders stretch means past this most prevalent function and can’t be precisely outlined by limestone alone. That is no extra evident than with Cheval Blanc – arguably essentially the most atypical property in Saint-Emilion. “If the DNA of Saint-Emilion is Merlot grown on limestone, it’s weird that Cheval Blanc is within the appellation in any respect,” Clouet chuckles. “We develop Cabernet Franc on clay!”
Cheval Blanc sits on the appellation’s limits, 4 kilometres away from the limestone plateau, bordering Pomerol. However Cheval Blanc isn’t such a straightforward match with Pomerol both. “We must always have a monopole appellation,” jokes Clouet. His level is severe, nevertheless, Cheval Blanc straddles each the Proper Financial institution’s high terroirs, but isn’t typical of both. It definitely makes Cheval Blanc tougher to elucidate, admits Clouet, in comparison with the opposite nice estates of Bordeaux that may be outlined by their parity of selection and terroir.
“Pétrus is Merlot on clay soils. Lafleur is Cabernet Franc on gravel. Ausone is Cabernet Franc on limestone. Latour is Cabernet Sauvignon on clay. However Cheval Blanc is unimaginable to know like that, due to its vary of soils,” Clouet explains.
Cecile Burban©
For Clouet, this multi-faceted persona offers Cheval Blanc nice flexibility and is a key motive for the property’s success and consistency. “We expect we’re very fortunate as a result of we are able to play on the 2 components of the Proper Financial institution,” he says. “Each time it’s a classic for Merlot, we mix for Merlot. When weather conditions are higher for clay, we play with clay, so we are able to play with the identification of the classic.”
Cheval Blanc has 53 plots on 10 totally different soil varieties – clay, sand, gravel in various proportions – and grows Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. For Clouet, the DNA of Cheval Blanc is its range. “We’re an orchestra, not a soloist. We want all our musicians to play the music.”
Maybe then, Cheval Blanc’s wide-ranging terroir makes it a becoming mascot for the heterogeneous nature of the Saint-Emilion appellation. Regardless of Cheval Blanc’s current withdrawal from the classification system, Clouet is eager to emphasize that the Saint-Emilion appellation is essential, and one thing they need to proceed to defend and make investments money and time in. The wines of Saint-Emilion are all linked by the place – and that is rather more essential than selection or mix, which he feels different areas have wrongly positioned emphasis on. “Every bottle of wine ought to inform the story of that place,” says Clouet. Nonetheless various Cheval Blanc’s terroir could also be, it’s plain that the wine captures a definite sense of this place. Certainly, past a small enhance in its holdings in 2012 encapsulating a neighbouring winery, it is likely one of the few châteaux in Bordeaux whose perimeters have barely modified in 150 years.
For Clouet, nevertheless, the appellation is about greater than terroir, there’s a “dynamic spirit” on the coronary heart of Saint-Emilion. Whereas not really easy to outline, Clouet believes it’s an appellation that has better flexibility than others. It’s typically cited as essentially the most Burgundian of the Bordeaux communes, because of the excessive variety of small estates and the sheer variety of vignerons, one thing which makes it a “dynamic place” in Clouet’s eyes.
“It by no means stops considering easy methods to change,” he says. This, he believes, gives some nice benefits. “Smaller estates have the capability to maneuver rapidly. That is arguably essentially the most vigneron-led place in Bordeaux.” Such dynamism prior to now has definitely seen Saint-Emilion main tendencies within the area, each good and dangerous – relying in your viewpoint. The garagiste motion within the early 2000s, for examples, is a trend that continues to divide the area. However Clouet believes Saint-Emilion is an appellation forward of its Bordeaux counterparts, main in sustainability and the pattern in the direction of freshness and delicacy, and terroir-driven wines.
Cheval Blanc’s vineyard designed by Christian de Portzamparc
That mentioned, there’s no “recipe”, he says. “Each château has to seek out its personal stability.” However, he warns: “We have to be cautious and never go too far in some way. A brand new recipe is to select too early, one other is to make use of too little oak.” He quotes Coco Chanel, “trend modifications, type endures” – every producer ought to discover their very own identification, their very own type and keep true to it. It’s important to be opened minded, he says – however to by no means copy others, observe a recipe or chase tendencies.
The present transfer in Saint-Emilion to plant extra Cabernet Franc is an ideal instance, for Clouet, the place trend is being adopted foolishly. “Cabernet Franc at this time might be essentially the most fashionable selection on the earth. I don’t know any winemaker who doesn’t discuss to us about Cabernet Franc. It appears to be the answer to international warming, however I feel it’s utterly the alternative,” he says. For Clouet, Cabernet Franc has no capability to adapt: in the proper soil it produces high wine, however in common soil the outcomes are horrible. The recent 2020 classic, for Clouet, proves his level – with producers favouring Merlot over Cabernet Franc, even when the latter dominates their vineyards, pointing to Lafleur and Ausone, in addition to Cheval Blanc. The nice and cozy, dry circumstances didn’t favour the modish selection – and an overreliance on Cabernet Franc planted within the incorrect place may show disastrous within the face of local weather change.
For the already atypical property, Cheval Blanc is wanting as an alternative at additional diversifying. Whereas Cabernet Franc is vital to its identification, the property has shifted from as soon as having Merlot on gravel and Cabernet Franc on clay to have “all the pieces, in all places”. “We need to multiply the variety,” Clouet explains. Diversification is on the coronary heart of all the pieces Cheval Blanc stands for at this time, specified by their not too long ago revealed manifesto – a transparent assertion of intent that until Bordeaux strikes away from monocultural farming, its future is in danger.
“Within the final 10 years agriculture was an issue,” says Clouet, “however I feel agriculture could possibly be the answer.” He offers carbon dioxide for instance: whereas there’s an excessive amount of within the environment, timber, vines and canopy crops can be utilized to seize it. Clouet believes the manifesto isn’t just a chunk of paper or advertising and marketing pamphlet, however a roadmap to point out how a extra sustainable strategy is feasible. “The largest drawback within the twentieth century for agriculture was not simply pesticides however monoculture.” Whereas Cheval Blanc will proceed to solely earn cash with their wines, admits Clouet, different crops and livestock shall be used to supply “resilience, a capability to lower illness and issues within the winery”. Clouet goes on to elucidate how 50 years in the past, timber had been faraway from vineyards to make it simpler for tractors, however previous to this vines, timber and different crops co-existed.
“Natural manufacturing isn’t sufficient at this time,” says Clouet, who doesn’t need to merely return to the previous. “We need to take the most effective of modernity.” Cheval Blanc isn’t natural as a result of it believes that copper, permitted and broadly utilized in natural viticulture to combat mildew, is extra dangerous than an artificial different. “It’s frequent sense,” says Clouet. “While you use natural strategies to sort out mildew it’s a must to spray each week – it’s nonsense. We attempt to suppose sensibly. The answer shall be via science and analysis. We shouldn’t go simply with philosophy. We have to be agronomic and sensible to discover a answer.”
If the spirit of Saint-Emilion is about dynamic change, then it’s becoming that the appellation’s most recognised property is main the cost to revolutionise the area’s strategy to viticulture and safeguard its future. For Cheval Blanc, agriculture is at a crossroads. “Viticulture is on the mercy of local weather change and the drastic discount in biodiversity,” states Cheval Blanc in its manifesto. Over the previous couple of years Cheval Blanc has been remodeling its vineyards into permacultures – interplanting timber, crops, different fruit and veggies, in addition to introducing animal grazing, flower farming and beekeeping to the winery in an try to make sure soil fertility, promote range and seize carbon.
Studying concerning the newest political spat over the present Grand Cru Classé system, the infinite court docket instances and corruption prices, you’ll be forgiven for considering that the spirit of Saint-Emilion is imploding. However it’s the spirit of Saint-Emilion, in response to Clouet, that unites this considerably idiosyncratic appellation. Past the classification chaos lies a heterogenous band of vignerons, united by their range and dynamic strategy. With the discharge of its manifesto, may Cheval Blanc unite the troubled appellation, with growers working collectively in the direction of a completely sustainable, future-proof Bordeaux? Cheval Blanc definitely hopes so.
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Picture of Pierre-Olivier Clouet taken by Gerard-Uferas©
