ABOUT THE PRODUCER: Château d’Arche
Classified as a Second Growth, Château d’Arche boasts one of the finest terroirs in Sauternes. It is located 30km south of Bordeaux, on a hill above the village of Sauternes. The vineyards are unique in that they are bordered by the Garonne and crossed by the river Ciron. The meeting of the cold waters of the Ciron and the warmer waters of the Garonne generates morning fog in late summer, providing optimum humidity and allowing Botrytis Cinerea to develop. The dry afternoons dry out the grapes and concentrate their aromas.
The vineyard is planted with 90% Semillon, the emblematic grape variety of the Sauternes appellation, 10% Sauvignon gris and blanc and Muscadelle, to complete the aromatic palette. The restructuration, which began in 2016, is continuing with the aim of rejuvenating the parcels while retaining a few plots that are over a hundred years old. These old vines bring depth and structure to the wine. The grapes are harvested exclusively by hand, through successive sortings of 4 to 5 passes. Only the fully botrytised berries are harvested, in order to ensure the highest concentration of aromas. While the production of Sauternes is limited to a maximum of 3333 bottles per hectare, which is one of the lowest productions in the world, the requirement of Château d’Arche leads it to produce around 2000 bottles on average per hectare. This represents only 1 to 3 glasses of wine per vine.
After two years of work carried out in collaboration with the architects of the Monuments de France, a brand new 2,500m2 cellar was inaugurated in September 2019. It symbolises the owners’ commitment to reducing the ecological footprint, providing optimum working conditions for the team and realising Château d’Arche’s ambitions for excellence. With its 100% natural cladding made from acacia trunks, reminiscent of vine stakes, and a discreetly curved roof that matches that of the hill where it is semi-buried, the architecture of the winery is in perfect harmony with its surroundings.
Farming practices: In 2019, Château d’Arche was awarded level 3 “High Environmental Value” certification for its compliance with environmental, phytosanitary and fertilisation management requirements. Horse-drawn ploughing of the vines has also been reintroduced on 10 hectares.
While the production of Sauternes is limited to a maximum of 3333 bottles per hectare, which is one of the lowest productions in the world, the requirement of Château d’Arche leads it to produce around 2000 bottles on average per hectare.
