Château Clément-Pichon

Identity

Château Clément-Pichon is situated in Parempuyre, Gironde. It belongs to the Fayat family, with Jean-Claude and Laurent Fayat ensuring the succession and management of the vineyards. Yann Monties is the cellar master and Gwendeline Lucas is the estate manager.

History and philosophy

The estate's origins date back to the 14th century. The Pichon family owned it from 1601 to 1880. In 1976, Clément Fayat acquired the property and undertook a complete restructuring of the vineyard. The château was renamed in 1985. Since 2012, Jean-Claude Fayat has managed the family vineyards, which also include Château La Dominique and Château Fayat. The estate and its park were listed as historical monuments in 2002. The property is committed to sustainable viticulture and holds the Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE 3) certification. It is also situated in a Natura 2000 designated zone, home to a natural bird reserve. Since the 2018 vintage, Château Clément-Pichon has held the Cru Bourgeois Supérieur classification.

Appellations

Château Clément-Pichon produces wines under the Haut-Médoc appellation, with the Cru Bourgeois Supérieur designation awarded in 2018.

Practical information

Château Clément-Pichon is located in Parempuyre (33290). The estate can be contacted by telephone on 05 56 35 23 79 or by email at contact@vignobles.fayat.com. The tasting boutique is open Monday to Friday from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm and from 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm, preferably by appointment. Visits by appointment are also available, and the estate offers cellar-door sales as well as mail order.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The vineyard covers an area of 25 hectares, planted with red varieties. The soils consist of sand and dry gravel, over clay subsoils. The vines, with an average age of 30 years, are planted at a density ranging from 7,000 to 8,000 vines per hectare and benefit from a north-south orientation. The grape varieties are dominated by Merlot (between 62% and 69%), complemented by Cabernet Sauvignon (between 27% and 33%) and Cabernet Franc (between 4% and 5%). The estate is currently in organic conversion.

Flagship cuvées

Château Clément-Pichon crafts a red wine characterised by a balanced structure. The blends bring together Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. These wines, which can develop their complexity over more than a dozen years in fine vintages, are best enjoyed at a serving temperature of between 16 and 17 °C.

Vinification and ageing

Harvesting is carried out both by hand and mechanically. Following sorting in the vineyard and then on sorting tables in the vat house, the grapes are destemmed. Fermentation takes place plot by plot in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats. Maceration lasts from 25 to 30 days. Malolactic fermentation is partly conducted in new oak barrels. Ageing lasts for 12 months, with approximately 32% in oak barrels (more than half renewed each year) and 68% in vats.