Château Lespault-Martillac: Vineyards
Château Lespault-Martillac is located on the southwest outskirts of Martillac, its closest neighbour probably Domaine de Solitude, just to the west, another property managed by Olivier Bernard. To the north, on the other side of the Martillac suburbs, are the extensive vineyards of Château de Rochemorin, while to the east is Château La Garde and, of course, Château Latour-Martillac. To the south there is just woodland, nothing out of the ordinary for this part of Bordeaux. The estate is situated on a gravelly rise, with a small amount of clay, which is the highest point in Martillac. There is a single 8-hectare block, a fairly small vineyard. Of these 7 hectares are red varieties, 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot and 5% Malbec, and 1 hectare is planted to white varieties, these being 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon.
The philosophy of vineyard management means chemical herbicides and fertilisers are eschewed, and the soil is worked rather than treated. Only organic compost is added if required. Olivier Bernard favours the use of biological control in the vineyard, including pheromones to deter the grape moth, now commonplace in the region, and predator mites too. Nevertheless the domaine does not have organic certification, leaving the team free to use chemical anti-fungicides or other treatments should these be required. The work in the vineyard includes leaf-thinning carried out in three stages, between July and September, to improve the exposure of the bunches to the sunlight and also ventilation. All the work is done on a parcel-by-parcel basis, overseen by the chef de culture, Eric Duron.
