Chateau La Couspaude 2015

Description

Undoubtedly the flagship of the AUBERT vineyards since over a century. This unique terroir, one of the few located on the limestone plateau on the outskirts of the village of Saint-Emilion, produces a Grand Cru Classe of international renown with subtle and mellow aromas.Type of soilSaint-Emilion chalky shelf, clay-limestoneVinegrowingVineyard management plot by plot, severe pruning, leaf thining, bunch thining, hand picking into small crates and carefully sorted prior to crushing.WinemakingWooden small fermenting vats, cold maceration, catch the cap by hand, malolactic fermentation in new French oak barrels, ageing 1820 months.The historyIn the middle of the Middle Ages, La Couspaude was calledThe cross Paute . This name comes to him of the cross which is near its entrance West. It is about one of the numerous crosses which follow the way which made the pilgrims when they go to Santiago de Compostela. Indeed, the monolithic church of Saint-Emilion was an important stage on their road. The Cross Paute was a part of the seigneury of Condat and Barbanne. Originally, it was a property of King of England, who was also in the time Duke d’ Aquitaine. It is at the end of the Hundred Years’ War, that it became the property of King of France. During the 16eme and the 17eme century, The Cross Paute was administered by the Jurade de Libourne. Until then there is no proof of the presence of vineyards on the exploitation. It is in 1739, that for the first time, a bill of sale gives evidence of a vineyard in The Cross Paute. Then from the 18eme to the 19eme century, the property is not going to stop changing owner. In 1908, Jean-Prosper Robin, owner of the Chateau Sansonnet, buys the nearby property, La Couspaude, and gives it immediately to his son Andre-Marcel. The succession of economic crises and the wars, did not allow the castle to find its potential of formerly. The efforts of the family rather turned to the Chateau Sansonnet, who with a stable production and its commercial success, allowed to cross this difficult time. The situation of the Chateau La Couspaude will remain unchanged until 1963. This year, the girl of Andre-Marcel, Edith Robin inherits from the vineyard. Helped by her husband, Etienne Aubert, of producers’ family of wine for more than two centuries, then later by his children, Alain, Daniel and Jean-Claude, it starts a new era for the Chateau La Couspaude. Today Vanessa, Heloise and Yohan join their fathers and immortalize this beautiful story of family.The revivalWhen the Aubert family enters in possession of the Chateau La Couspaude in 1963, all the problems, which accumulated during the years, are reflected in the state of the property. The vineyard presents many missing feet and buildings are in a very bad state, the main handicap being the absence of wine storehouse on the very property. The renovation of Couspaude is going to take place in two phases. First of all, it is the vineyard which is considered as the most urgent. A program of replanting is thus launched from 1963, affecting 80 % of the vineyard. However, east of the exploitation, a part of vines are preserved they have approximately a century nowadays. The second phase will engage only from the beginning of the 80s, led by three brothers Aubert. They renewed themselves buildings, by means of a small team. The quite equipped wine storehouse was finished in 1985. But so remarkable, the property presents a magnificent cellar in the calcareous rock and a reception hall built around a wall supported by three arcs. The work made by the family Aubert is rewarded in 1996,La Couspaude being then promoted Grand Cru Classe in the new classification of wines of Saint-Emilion.”- Chateau La Couspaude