Marie Christine, the daughter of Henri Ducourt, purchased this prestigious left-bank property in 1979, which lies on the border of the Graves appellation. The 60-hectare vineyard was rapidly replanted and the château building, which dates from 1348, was restored. The family now produces three different-colored wines there: red, white and rosé.
In 1858, Ducourt family settled at Château des Combes in Ladaux, a small rural village in the south east of Bordeaux, in the heart of Entre-Deux-Mers area. Over time, new generations have followed in their footsteps; a passion for wine has become a profession, and their knowledge and the estate have grown ever greater as they have been passed down the line.
Pierre Ducourt, then his children and his grand-children farmed several hectares of vines that belonged to the estate. The arrival of the grandfather, Henri Ducourt, at the property marked an important turning point in the family business. He, with the help of his three children (Marie Christine, Philippe and Bernard), decided to drastically revitalize the company and turned the family vineyard into one of Bordeaux’s largest winemaking facilities, with 450 hectares of land and 14 chateaus in 6 different AOC's.
The crocodile is the emblem of Henri Ducourt’s vigorous business spirit, which lives on today, as strong as ever, in each family member. And what better ambassadors could exist to remind people that Entre-Deux-Mers is where this family adventure began?
In 1962, Henri Ducourt, a young winemaker, used to work 14 hours a day managing the 20 hectares of vines he had inherited from his father. He had a good friend, his neighbor, who owned 14 hectares and used to work with his two sons. At this time, suffice to say that running a vineyard was not the career that parents wished for their children, preferring instead to steer them towards more stable jobs. Some though, including Henri, were obstinate and unwilling to part from the vineyard. So, hard-working and hard-headed, Henri Ducourt slowly but surely bought the land and the vines of the neighboring producers and found himself by the mid-80’s at the head of almost 300 hectares of vineyards! One day, as much to poke fun as through admiration, the son of his friend drew a crocodile on a sign to represent the tenacity, lucidity and cold-blooded business spirit of Henri Ducourt, then planted this sign among the far-reaching vines of his neighbor.
Amused by the gesture, Henri Ducourt was inspired by the crocodile when he rebuilt the winery and asked that the new vats were decorated with this symbol. Today, Henri’s children and grandchildren manage 450 hectares of vineyards, always persistent, ready for new challenges, and faithful to what their parents have built. The crocodile has since become the emblem of the family.
Graduated as Oenologist in 2002 (University of Toulouse).
Before joining Ducourt in 2014, he worked for various estates :
- Domaine de l’Hortus in Pic Saint Loup
- Les caves de Sieur d’Arques in Limoux
- Chateau Carbonnieux, Grand Cru Classé in Pessac Léognan
The Ducourt's have always known that quality grapes are essential for making a good wine. Therefore they take the utmost care in the vineyards, to get the best from every plot of land. The size of the business also allows them to make numerous investments in the latest tools, which enable to unite traditional knowledge with the latest technologies, and therefore become ever more precise and respectful of the environment in their work.
The latest equipment
They regularly invest in new equipment for two main reasons : a desire to constantly evolve and improve quality while reducing the amount of strenuous and dangerous work undertaken by their co-workers.
With the development of the vineyard's surface, the harvests are now carried out with the help of the latest generation of harvesting machines, which make it possible to collect the grapes in the cool of the morning. Harvest is quicker offering more flexibility and quality improvement.
Among the latest acquisitions is a machine that allows to plant using a GPS guidance as well as an innovative and precise spraying system and flexible frames that allow to reduce waste and the amount of treatment products used.
A Grand-Cru-worthy setup
The family invests in equipment that is worthy of a Grand Cru, and therefore push further in the constant quest for quality, which applies to the entire range of wines.
The new pressing system allows them to press the grapes in a completely inert environment to prevent any oxygenation of the juice and to preserve the aromas of each varietal, to obtain more intense and fresher wines. The wineries and the stainless-steel vats are thermo-regulated in order to keep the juice in the best conditions possible and to maintain complete control over the entire fermentation process. They have also invested in a cross-flow filtration system for filtering wines before bottling, which ensures optimal quality and no waste. Finally, to improve safety for the co-workers they also regularly invest in new equipment such as carbon-monoxide detectors, helping to prevent accidents including asphyxiation during the cleaning of the vats. The most recent investment to date involves the bottling line that was set up with the collaboration of the employees in order to reduce their workload.
6 generations of shared experience
They have the good fortune to be able to build on several generations of winemaking experience and produce wines that respect their local typicity. They frequently organize tastings of two old vintages so as to improve their understanding of the wines’ evolution over time, and so as to be able to really tell people when is the best time to drink the wines.
Larroque Bordeaux Blanc is made from 73% Sauvignon Blanc and 27% Colombard.
No oak.
Color : Pale yellow with green tints.
Nose : Complex aromas of white flowers, exotic fruits, citrus and boxwood, with a touch of minerality.
Mouth : Aromatic, with a nice richness and freshness. Predominant flavors of tart, crisp fruit.
Marie-Christine, the daughter of Henri Ducourt, purchased this prestigious left-bank property in 1979, which lies on the border of the Graves appellation.
The 60-hectare vineyard was rapidly replanted and the château building, which dates from 1348, was restored.
Our family now produces three different-colored wines there: red, white and rosé.
Grown on loamy-clay soil.
Harvest : Machine harvesting in the cool, early morning
Maceration : Skin-contact maceration for several hours, depending on ripeness, and pressing
Fermentation : Beginning of the cold alcoholic fermentation (12°C / 53°F) then an increase in temperature to finish the fermentation at 20°C / 68°F.
Enjoy this wine as an aperitif or during the meal with fish, seafood or chicken salad.
Larroque Bordeaux Blanc is made from 73% Sauvignon Blanc and 27% Colombard.
No oak.
Color : Pale yellow with green tints.
Nose : Complex aromas of white flowers, exotic fruits, citrus and boxwood, with a touch of minerality.
Mouth : Aromatic, with a nice richness and freshness. Predominant flavors of tart, crisp fruit.
Marie-Christine, the daughter of Henri Ducourt, purchased this prestigious left-bank property in 1979, which lies on the border of the Graves appellation.
The 60-hectare vineyard was rapidly replanted and the château building, which dates from 1348, was restored.
Our family now produces three different-colored wines there: red, white and rosé.
Grown on loamy-clay soil.
Harvest : Machine harvesting in the cool, early morning
Maceration : Skin-contact maceration for several hours, depending on ripeness, and pressing
Fermentation : Beginning of the cold alcoholic fermentation (12°C / 53°F) then an increase in temperature to finish the fermentation at 20°C / 68°F.
Enjoy this wine as an aperitif or during the meal with fish, seafood or chicken salad.
Belle Glos' first wine under the newly minted West Sonoma Coast AVA and a cellared release, this majestic vineyard brings plum with a slight burnt edge in the glass and boasts aromas of freshly tilled land, a rich oak forest in Autumn, and Crème de Cassis. Once on the palate, the acidity sparks a fire of smoked caramel and cinnamon spiked cranberry sauce. The silky-smooth texture gives way to a long and balanced finish that leaves your senses wanting more.
Review:
Located in the westernmost section of Sonoma County, this rugged, elevated, marine-influenced sub-AVA is the newest in the region. This almost nine-year-old wine immediately delivers a memorable experience through its perfume of jasmine, gardenia, and tangelo; on the palate, notes of brown-sugared cherry join a parade of orange peel and crushed stone. Grainy yet juicy strawberry weaves into vanilla and cedar as white pepper keeps the palate primed for more flavor.
-Tasting Panel 97 Points
Crianza is the essential wine. Balance and integrity. It displays the fine manners of experience and the grace of plethoric vine. Juicy black fruit on the palate inviting you to eat well and feel good.
But there is more. Crianza maintains an invisible pact with the landscape. An imperceptible force that brings us closer to the truth of the place. And instantly turns extreme climate vineyards into the most welcoming place in the world.
Prepared with Tempranillo grapes (100%), this wine has a very bright, intense maraschino cherry colour that fades to a Cardinal red rim.
It has a very marked aroma with a good balance of fruit and wood, where tones of vanilla intermingle with well-ripened fruit, black berries and wild fruits. There are also noticeable hints of leather and liquorice, resulting from the mingling of the French oak and the aromas inherent in this variety of grape.
In the mouth, the wine has a smooth texture but fills the palate with balanced flavours, including fine tannins, which help extend the life of the wine. The finish and aftertaste are both long and elegant.
Vineyard:
Pago de los Capellanes, Pedrosa de Duero.
Variety composition:
100% Tempranillo.
Type of soil:
Clayey and chalky.
Aging:
12 months in barrel and remainder on rack.
Type of oak:
100% French oak, medium toast.
Serving:
Uncork and decant one hour before serving at a temperature of 16-18 ºC.
Selected harvest with yields limited to 5000 kg per hectare. The harvest begins in early October, starting with the most mature parcels. Once the grapes are brought into the winery, the tanks are seeded with indigenous yeast (start culture) and the alcoholic fermentation begins. During the barrelling period, which lasts 30 days, the wine is crushed and pumped over daily, all the while controlling the density, temperature and evolution of the yeast. At the end of this fermentation, the tanks are emptied and the wine taken for malolactic fermentation.
The malolactic fermentation begins without the addition of bacteria. The temperature is held steady at 20ºC for period of 22 days, during which we monitor the levels of malic and lactic acids. When the malic acid content is less than 0.1 grams per litre, the wine is decanted to separate the lees and is transferred directly to the barrels without undergoing any type of filtration, clarification or cold treatment.
The wine is aged for twelve months in new and semi-new French oak barrels (no more than three years old). At the end of this period, it is taken to the tank for homogenisation, where it undergoes light filtration through cartridges (open pore) and is then bottled.