Château Monbrison: Vineyards
There are a number of significant châteaux skirting the little town of Arsac, a westerly outpost of the Margaux appellation. The vineyards here are located some distance from the waters of the Garonne as it joins the Dordogne, the union of the two rivers lying 6 kilometres to the northeast. To the west of the town are the extensive vineyards of Château d’Arsac, while on the eastern side is where we find Château du Tertre, Château des Graviers and, on the Avenue Jean-Luc Vonderheyden which runs east towards Macau, Château Monbrison.
In total the Vonderheyden family have 15.5 hectares under vine. The terroir is typical of the region, with a soil of light gravel embedded in a soft and silty-clay soil. The varieties planted are 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. The work in the vineyard is thoroughly conventional in style, although the majority is effected by hand rather than by machine.
