The SCEA des Vignobles Marcel Petit was created in 1986 by Mr. Marcel Petit with the acquisition of Château Pillebois from the Castillon Côtes-de-Bordeaux appellation.
In 1988, the vineyard grew with Châteaux Franc Lartigue and Grande Rouchonne, located in the Saint-Emilion appellation. It was that same year that the Vignobles Marcel Petit joined the Vignerons Indépendants de France.
In 1997, Mr. Marcel Petit retired, thus entrusting the vineyards to his daughter Elisabeth and his son-in-law Jean-Pierre Toxé. The vineyard then reached 22 hectares of vines, divided between Saint-Emilion and Castillon.
Then in 2019, the plots in AOC Castillon as well as the Château Pillebois were sold. The vineyard now covers 9.5 hectares of vines in AOC Saint-Emilion.
For almost 30 years now, the vineyard has continued to evolve and improve. Our know-how, passed down for two generations, is the result of collaborations with the best wine specialists, allowing us to make the most of our terroir.The continuous improvement of the techniques and the quality of our wines has always been carried out with the greatest respect for the wine traditions instilled by our ancestors.
For several years we have been committed to more environmentally friendly work.
More recently, in 2011, we joined the SME association (Environmental Management System), certification to ISO 14001 standards specializing in the good management of the environment and the biodiversity of our operations. It imposes a reduction in phytosanitary and weedkiller products, a recovery of all waste, as well as a zero impact of our cellar effluents and residues of phytosanitary products.
In 2013 we obtained the HVE 3 certification (High Environmental Value level 3). This certification, gradual from 1 to 3, attests to our commitment to respect and balance the environment and biodiversity on our farms.
Our wines are then bottled by us directly at the property. Our barrels are renewed at 30% each year in order to obtain subtle and delicate aromas in each of our vintages.
The technically well-equipped cellar allows us to monitor the vinification and aging of our wines with precision.
All the harvests of our Saint-Emilion grands crus are hand-sorted in order to keep only the best fruits in vats.
The vinifications are carried out by Jean-Pierre Toxé in close collaboration with the oenology laboratory Oenoteam and Stéphane Toutoundji, whose reputation is well established.
Chateau Franc Lartigue Saint-Emilion Grand Cru is made from Merlot 70%, Cabernet franc 15%, Cabernet sauvignon 15%
Eight hectare property in the town of Saint-Emilion. Elegant and structured wine, keep for 10 to 15 years depending on the vintage.
Review:
Vines with an average age of 35 years have produced a concentrated wine. It is rich and full, while also having restraint and elegance. That makes for a fine balancing act of generous tannins and opulent black fruits. Drink the wine from 2021
- Wine Enthusiast 92 Points
Chateau Franc Lartigue Saint-Emilion Grand Cru is made from Merlot 70%, Cabernet franc 15%, Cabernet sauvignon 15%
Eight hectare property in the town of Saint-Emilion. Elegant and structured wine, keep for 10 to 15 years depending on the vintage.
Review:
Bold and rich, this ripe black-currant-flavored wine come from vineyards on the plain below Saint-Émilion center. With the rich Merlot dominant, the wine has density and concentration that will allow it to age. Drink from 2023.
-Wine Enthusiast 91 Points
Michel Rolland, Pomerol vintner and consultant to many of the world's top wineries, teamed with Washington State wine visionary Allen Shoup to produce this limited release wine.
With its intense color and inviting aromas of dark berries, licorice, baking spice and a hint of smoke, the Pedestal is a bold wine that leaves a lasting impression. Dark fruit flavors integrated with sweetness from the barrel and richness from the tannins come together seamlessly, lingering across a structured mid-palate and lengthy finish.
Winemaking: Hand-harvested grapes were double-sorted to remove green material that might impart harsh tannins, then most of the lots were cold soaked to build richness and flavor before undergoing whole-berry fermentation in 55L upright French wood tanks. This, combined with gentle pump-overs throughout fermentation, enhanced the wine’s color, texture and mouthfeel. The finished wine was aged 22 months in 85% new French oak barrels.
Review:
"I loved the 2014 Pedestal Merlot and it’s 81% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot. It offers a downright voluptuous and incredibly sexy style in its ripe black currants, toasted spice, chocolate and licorice aromas and flavors. Broad, expansive, layered and pleasure bent, with ripe tannin, it's a knockout Merlot that's going to have 10-15 years of drinkability. - Jeb Dunnuck"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #231, June 2017), 95 pts
This is a classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with an opaque purple color and perfumed aromas of blackberry compote, orange blossom, cassis, creme brulee, and cocoa. On the palate the wine is plush and concentrated with well-integrated tannins and a vibrant finish. Lush enough to be consumed now and structured enough to hold for decades thanks to the mountain heritage of this beautiful wine.
Review:
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is an incredible wine, and it flirts with perfection. Full-bodied and concentrated, it has flawless balance and elegance as well as just textbook Howell Mountain notes of blue fruits, cassis, violets, graphite, and background oak. I love its tannins, it has remarkable purity of fruit, and a great, great finish. It has some appeal today yet deserves 4-5 years of bottle age and should have over two decades of longevity.
-Jeb Dunnuck 98+ Points
Winemaker Sean Capiaux has crafted this Howell Mountain staple for more than two decades. In 2019, he's made a knockout! Explosive aromas of ripe, black fruit, wild mountain sage, turned earth and toasty oak. Enveloping on the palate with an intricate mix of black cherry, blackberry and blueberry fruit moving quickly into more savoury notes of crushed stones, cassis, wildflowers. Finishing long and with vibrancy and lift. A powerful core of firm fine-grained tannins are nicely integrated. Great cellar potential.
-Decanter 97 Points