Château Citran: Vineyards
I recall when I first set eyes on Château Citran, sometime during the 2013 primeurs. I had previously encountered the wines numerous times of course, but I had never before seen the château. I was en route from a tasting in Moulis-en-Médoc to one somewhere in Margaux, I don’t recall where; all I remember for certain is that I was late, and I was not sparing the engine of my little hire car as I gunned it down a country road, surrounded by a dense forest of pine trees on either side, wondering where all the vines had gone. Suddenly the road opened out a little, with a vineyard on my right, and on my left I caught sight of railings and an imposing gate behind which there lay a long driveway, at the end of which stood an imposing château. It was, I quickly realised (the sign on the gatepost did rather give it away), Château Citran.
This was in the commune of Avensan, south of the Moulis appellation and west of the Margaux vineyards. The estate is still extensive at more than 400 hectares, albeit only one-quarter of these is dedicated to vines. There are two parcels, both entitled to the Haut-Médoc appellation, totalling about 100 hectares. The first is that which I glimpsed from my hire car, opposite the château, and spread out behind the trees to the south west and to the east. The second lies around the nearby village. The terroir is typically gravelly, with some areas of sand, marl and chalky clay, perhaps unsurprising given that the estate is located inland, away from the pure gravel terraces next to the estuary, and so close to the vineyards of Moulis and Listrac.
Please log in to continue reading: