Château Couhins-Lurton: Vineyards
The vines lay adjacent to those of Château Couhins, on the same ridge of sandy gravel. Since the acquisition by the Lurton family the vineyard has expanded somewhat, and now accounts for 25 hectares of the Pessac-Léognan appellation.
Although the estate is probably best known for its white wine, the white varieties are now the smaller part of the vineyard. There are 5.7 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc, the only white variety planted here. These are grafted onto 101.14, 3309C and Riparia rootstocks, and are planted at a density of 6,500 vines per hectare. They are pruned using the double Guyot method, as is traditional in the region, and the average age of the vines is 26 years.
The red varieties, 77% Merlot and 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, account for an impressive 19 hectares. These are also grafted onto 101.14, 3309C and Riparia rootstocks, but have a higher density of planting, standing at 8,500 vines per hectare, perhaps reflecting this vineyard’s more recent establishment. These are also pruned using the double Guyot method, and the average age of these vines is 23 years. Of note, although the property is best-known for its white wines (and it is only listed in the Graves classification for its white), the return of a red wine is true to the estate’s origins, as during the 19th century it was mostly planted to red.
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