Château Blanche Hermine
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Château Blanche Hermine, in Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, spans 2 hectares in Saint Christophe des Bardes. The certified AB BIO estate primarily cultivates Cabernet Franc on diverse clay-limestone soils, producing a flagship cuvée and a second wine.
Identity
Château Blanche Hermine is a winegrowing estate located in the commune of Saint Christophe des Bardes, in the Gironde department. Christophe Le Bail is the estate's primary contact.
History and philosophy
The philosophy of Château Blanche Hermine is to express nature through its wines, relying on environmentally friendly viticultural practices. The estate is committed to nature-oriented viticulture, following the principles of BIODYPHY. The estate is certified AB BIO.
The appellations
Château Blanche Hermine produces wines under the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru appellation. The parcels are located in Saint Christophe des Bardes.
Practical information
Château Blanche Hermine is located at 2 - Badon Nord, 33330 Saint Christophe des Bardes.
Visitors can contact the estate by telephone on 05 57 51 37 94 or 06 20 55 49 25, or by email at ch.blanche.hermine@orange.fr. Direct sales are available at the estate.
Visits are arranged by appointment during the summer, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. They include an explanation of the Dezeimeris pruning method on site in Saint Christophe des Bardes, a tour of the cellar, and a wine tasting. Languages spoken include English, French, Japanese, and Chinese.
Find out more
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Château Blanche Hermine located and who is the contact person?
- Château Blanche Hermine is a winegrowing estate established in the commune of Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes, in the Gironde department. For any inquiries or contact, Monsieur Christophe Le Bail is the key contact at the estate.
- What is Château Blanche Hermine's approach to viticulture and the environment?
- The philosophy of Château Blanche Hermine centres on expressing nature in its wines by adopting environmentally respectful farming practices. The estate is committed to nature-oriented viticulture following the principles of BIODYPHY and holds organic farming certification (AB BIO).
- What are the characteristics of the Château Blanche Hermine vineyard in terms of grape varieties and terroir?
- The Château Blanche Hermine vineyard covers 2 hectares and is planted mainly with Cabernet Franc (90%), complemented by Merlot (10%). The average vine age is 30 years. The terroir is diverse, featuring clay and blue clay (GLEY) soils at the Tauzinat-Est lieu-dit, clay-siliceous alluvial earth and clayey gravel at Bois de l'Or, and sandy, loamy clays at Badon.
- What cuvées are available and what are the visiting arrangements at Château Blanche Hermine?
- Château Blanche Hermine produces a flagship cuvée of the same name, dominated by Cabernet Franc, and a second wine named Petite Hermine, mainly Merlot-based. Tours are available by appointment during the summer, between 9:00 am and 12:00 pm, including an explanation of Dezeimeris pruning, a cellar visit, and a tasting. The estate is located at 2 - Badon Nord, 33330 Saint Christophe des Bardes, with on-site cellar-door sales.
The vineyard (terroir)
The Château Blanche Hermine vineyard covers a surface area of 2 hectares. The estate predominantly cultivates Cabernet Franc (90%) and Merlot (10%). The average age of the vines is 30 years. Viticultural practices include the Dezeimeris pruning method.
The vineyard soils are diverse. At the Tauzinat-Est lieu-dit, there are clays over starfish limestone (calcaire à astéries), featuring "Gley" type clay at a depth of 80 cm. At the Bois de l’Or lieu-dit, the soils consist of clay-siliceous alluvial earth and clayey gravel. Finally, the Badon lieu-dit features sandy and loamy clays. Overall, the terroir is characterised by clay-loam soils, red and brown clays over starfish limestone, as well as clay-limestone soils. The climate is oceanic and temperate, with an average annual temperature of 12.8°C.
Flagship cuvées
The estate offers a principal cuvée, Château Blanche Hermine, and a second wine, Petite Hermine.
The Château Blanche Hermine cuvée is crafted from Cabernet Franc and Merlot, with proportions varying according to the vintage, but consistently dominated by Cabernet Franc. For instance, the 2022 vintage is a blend of 95% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot. The wines of this cuvée hail from plots with clay and blue clay (GLEY) soils.
The second wine, Petite Hermine, is primarily Merlot-based, complemented by Cabernet Franc. The 2019 vintage blend was 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc.
Vinification and ageing
Harvesting is carried out entirely by hand. Vinification takes place in stainless steel tanks. The wines are aged in oak barrels, using 60% new oak and 40% one-wine barrels.
- Appellation
- Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
- Commune
- Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes
- Wine region
- Libournais
- Surface area
- 2 ha
- Second wine
- Petite Hermine
- Certifications
- Bio
- Grape varieties
- Cabernet Franc 90%, Merlot 10%
Practical information
- Address
- 2 - Badon Nord, 33330 Saint Christophe des Bardes
- Phone
- 05 57 51 37 94
- Contact form
- Contact the estate
- Opening hours
- Tout l’été sur Rendez-vous de 9h à 12h
- Visits
- Visite de la propriété, explication du mode de taille sur place à Saint Christophe des Bardes, visite du chai suivie d’une dégustation.