Poesia: Vineyards
As I have already indicated in my introduction, the domaine is located on the plateau, well to the east of the town of St Emilion, right on the cusp of the transition from St Emilion to Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux. The estate’s neighbours, situated either side of the D243 as it heads out east, reflect this. Just before you pass Poesia you will see Château Valandraud, and slightly set back from the main road there lies Château Fleur-Cardinale, two St Emilion stalwarts, the first holding the rank of premier grand cru classé in the 2012 classification. Continue on past Poesia, however, and you will quickly find yourself at the gates to L’Aurage, the Castillon domaine run by Louis Mitjavile, the son of François Mitjavile, of Château Tertre-Roteboeuf.
Sitting right on the edge of the plateau, the cellars occupy what is one of the highest points in the St Emilion appellation, at an altitude of 89 metres, in the commune of St-Etienne-de-Lisse. Under Eric Lenormand the domaine grew to about 9 hectares, and today Hélène Garcin-Lévêque says she has 9.18 hectares under her dominion here, although I note as of early 2018 she declares just 5.73 hectares as under vine, a reflection of some recent replanting. The vines have an average age of about 40 years, while some are very much older, including a few more than 100-years old. No doubt as the domaine is restructured these figures will change. The varieties planted are 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, and as I have already suggested the terroir is a desirable combination of clay and limestone. The methods in the vineyard are said by Hélène to be organic.
