Chateau La Yotte Vineyards

HOW IT ALL STARTED

Arriving to Bordeaux in 2017, old vines were uprooted and the lands were taken care of by a local farmer, changing the crops each season to keep the soil pristine. The following couple of years were all about extensive soil samples, leading to some parcels deemed not interesting enough to the benefit of walnut and olive trees.

Planting commenced 2020 and has continued to this day as we still have lands scrutinised to ensure we get the healthiest vines with the ripest of grapes with a suitably low sugar ripeness (we have no interest in serving wines at >15% alcohol). The result is six red wine varieties on a combination of several clones and three rootstocks dependent on the limestone content and fertility of the soils. Complexity in the vineyard but certainly also in the glass!

We are writing a new chapter at La Yotte, humbly aware of the centuries of wine made from grapes growing on the well drained limestone slopes along the Garonne river.

Percentage of Grape Variety

Cabernet Franc Noir 32%

Merlot Noir 27%

Cot Noir 20%

Petit Verdot Noir 10%

Castet Noir 6%

Touriga Nacional Noir 5%

MAP OF OUR VINEYARDS

p1: Petit Verdot Noir

    • Area: 0,3742 ha

    • Year of Planting: 2020

    • Number of plants: 1356

    • Plant surface: 0,24 ha

  • This is our highest parcel in terms of altitude and a bit further away from the others. A relatively steep slope tucked away next to forestland, we found to our surprise sand soil with great drainage. The rootstock is 3309A.

p2: cot noir / MALBEC

    • Area: 0,5278 ha

    • Year of Planting: 2020

    • Number of plants: 2081

    • Plant surface: 0,37 ha

  • Just above our winery, we find the perfect parcel for Malbec, or cot noir as it is referred to in France. The soil is nutrient rich argilo-calcaire, or clay-limestone, with a healthy slope in easterly direction. These malbecs are on 420A rootstocks.

p3: cabernet franc noir

    • Area: 0,5500 ha

    • Year of Planting: 2021

    • Number of plants: 2723

    • Plant surface: 0,49 ha

  • On a beautiful slope towards the Garonne river and just next to the Chateau we planted old Bordelaise cabernet franc. Half of the parcel have soils with high limestone content while the lower bit has more nutrient rich clay. Therefore half sits on Fercal rootstocks and half on 3309C.

p4: cabernet franc noir

    • Area: 0,8142 ha

    • Year of Planting: 2021

    • Number of plants: 4410

    • Plant surface: 0,79 ha

  • We expect big things from this our largest parcel facing the Garonne river. It offers challenges, both to our cabernet franc vines trying to punch through a layer of limestone, making the soil deep yellow, as well as to tractor drivers sometimes struggling with the steep climb. On Fercal rootstocks to deal with the limestone.

p5: cot noir / MALBEC

    • Area: 0,3460 ha

    • Year of Planting: 2021

    • Number of plants: 1740

    • Plant surface: 0,31 ha

  • On equally steep slopes and with just as high limestone content, we planted malbec. Struggling in this rocky soil, our malbec berries will be smaller and more concentrated than the malbecs planted a year earlier with more welcoming clay. These are on Fercals to withstand the limestone.

p6: merlot noir

    • Area: 0,7980 ha

    • Year of Planting: 2021

    • Number of plants: 4223

    • Plant surface: 0,76 ha

  • The clay loamy soil further down and closest to the Garonne river is perfect for juicy merlots. The soils have high nutrient contents and are planted with 420A to fend back some fertility and yields. The merlot on Parcel 6 is a different clone to Parcel 7 with flavour complexity in mind.

p7: merlot noir

    • Area: 0,2360 ha

    • Year of Planting: 2021

    • Number of plants: 1231

    • Plant surface: 0,22 ha

  • The clay loamy soil further down and closest to the Garonne river is perfect for juicy merlots. The soils have high nutrient contents and are planted with 420A to fend back some fertility and yields. The merlot on Parcel 7 is a different clone to Parcel 6 with flavour complexity in mind.

p8: touriga nacional noir

    • Area: 0,1700 ha

    • Year of Planting: 2021

    • Number of plants: 850

    • Plant surface: 0,15 ha

  • We were among the first in the region (the first?) giving the national champion of Portugal a chance. Extensive soil samples suggested this was a perfect home for the vines and the last two years harvest suggest we are on to something. Not allowed in the Bordeaux appellations, wines made with a high percentage of Touriga will have to be classified as Vin de France. These are on 3309C rootstocks.

p9: castet noir

    • Area: 0,2370 ha

    • Year of Planting: 2021

    • Number of plants: 1274

    • Plant surface: 0,23 ha

  • We were among the first in the region (the first?) welcoming back this ancient Bordelaise variety. Extensive soil samples suggested this was a perfect home for the vines and the last two years harvest suggest we are on to something. So good were the first samples that we kept planting more in 2023 and are planning to continue in 2025. Not allowed in the Bordeaux appellations, wines made with a high percentage of Castets will have to be classified as Vin de France. These are on 3309C rootstocks.

p10: merlot noir

    • Area: 0,2360 ha

    • Year of Planting: 2021

    • Number of plants: 1231

    • Plant surface: 0,22 ha

  • The clay loamy soil further down and closest to the Garonne river is perfect for juicy merlots. The soils have high nutrient contents and are planted with 420A to fend back some fertility and yields. The merlot on Parcel 10 is a different clone to Parcel 6 with flavour complexity in mind.