The Sainte Barbe vineyards currently cover 30 hectares of gravelly, alluvial soils on the right bank of the Garonne, some 20km north of Bordeaux. The majority of the vineyards have been replanted since we acquired the estate in 1999.

80% of the vineyard is made up of Merlot, with the remaining 20% divided between Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Plantation densities vary from 4500 to 5500 vines per hectare depending on the characteristics of the soil. The choice of rootstock (Riparia 101.14-3309) and quality clones (Merlot clones 181-343-347) was made specifically taking into account the soils of Sainte Barbe.

Strict control of the vineyards is the key to producing high quality fruit: Key jobs at Sainte Barbe are ensuring adequate drainage, planting grasses between the rows of vines for soil balance and to absorb excess humidity, ensuring the maximum leaf canopy for perfect ripening and strictly controlling yields. Different parcels are cropped at different levels according to the wine to be produced, with as little as 15 hectolitres per hectare (500g per plant) for our top selection.

The grapes are picked by machine after previously going through the vineyards to remove any grapes that do not reach our quality requirements. Once in the cellar, a further selection is made using sorting tables.