Château Couhins

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Identity

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Château Couhins is a Grand Cru Classé de Graves located in the commune of Villenave-d'Ornon, in Gironde. The estate is owned by INRAE (Institut National de la Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement). The château's technical team comprises 8 people, led by Dominique Forget. Matthieu Arroyo is the cellar master and Jérôme Miramon the vineyard manager.

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History and philosophy

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The history of Château Couhins dates back to the 17th century, when it was composed of several original properties such as Domaine de la Gravette and Domaine du Pont de Langon. In 1883, Constantin Hanappier owned the estate. In the 1960s, the estate was acquired by INRAE in 1968, ensuring its preservation. At that time, 1.5 hectares of white vines were sold to M. Lurton, who created the Couhins-Lurton brand. INRAE conducted research and experiments on vines and wine at the estate. The cellars and winery buildings were built in 1981, and the estate was expanded in 2010 with the addition of a barrel cellar and a visitor reception area.

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Château Couhins is committed to agro-ecological and environmentally friendly practices. The estate is certified organic from the 2022 vintage and initiated a collective Environmental Management System (EMS) approach in 2010, obtaining ISO 14001 certification. Vineyard practices include reasoned and measured human intervention, manual work in the vines, a low-intervention approach respectful of biodiversity, and plot-by-plot management. The 2022 vintage is the first certified organic vintage with eco-designed packaging (shortened capsule, eco-sourced paper label printed with intaglio, recyclable cardboard cases).

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Appellations

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Château Couhins produces wines under the Pessac-Léognan appellation. The estate is recognised as a Cru Classé de Graves, specifically for its white wines.

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Practical information

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Château Couhins is located at Chemin de la Gravette, 33140 Villenave-d'Ornon. For any enquiries, the estate can be contacted by telephone on +33 5 56 30 77 61 or by email at couhins-bordeaux@inrae.fr.

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The cellar door is open Monday to Saturday from May to October, and Monday to Friday from November to April. Tours and tastings are available by appointment in French, English, Spanish, and Russian. The estate is accessible to visitors with reduced mobility. Château Couhins organises summer \"guinguette\" evenings in Villenave-d'Ornon, featuring a wine bar, catering, live music, and children's workshops.

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Find out more

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Official estate website

", "summary": "Château Couhins, a Cru Classé de Graves in Villenave-d'Ornon, is owned by INRAE. Spanning 32 ha in Pessac-Léognan, it produces certified organic red and white wines from a diverse range of grape varieties planted on gravel, clay-limestone, and sandy-gravel soils.", "facts": { "appellation": "Pessac-Léognan", "appellations": ["Pessac-Léognan"], "commune": "Villenave-d'Ornon", "owner": "INRAE", "winemaker": "Matthieu Arroyo", "surface_ha": 32, "terroir": "Gravel crest (pebbles over compact clay), clay-limestone hillside (friable limestone), sandy-gravel plateau (sand, gravel, and clay over clay subsoil)", "second_wine": "La Dame de Couhins", "website": "https://www.chateau-couhins.fr", "certifications": ["Organic", "ISO 14001"], "encepagement": [ { "name": "Merlot", "percent": 46 }, { "name": "Cabernet Sauvignon", "percent": 43 }, { "name": "Petit Verdot", "percent": 6 }, { "name": "Cabernet Franc", "percent": 4 }, { "name": "Sauvignon Blanc", "percent": 96 }, { "name": "Sauvignon Gris", "percent": 4 } ] }, "seo": { "title": "Château Couhins: Cru Classé de Graves in Pessac-Léognan", "description": "Discover Château Couhins, Cru Classé de Graves in Villenave-d'Ornon, owned by INRAE. Certified organic red and white Pessac-Léognan wines across 32 hectares.", "keywords": [ "Château Couhins", "Pessac-Léognan", "Cru Classé Graves", "INRAE", "Villenave-d'Ornon", "Organic Bordeaux wine", "Graves terroir", "Merlot", "Cabernet Sauvignon", "Sauvignon Blanc" ] }, "faq": [ { "question": "What is the main appellation of Château Couhins?", "answer": "Château Couhins produces its wines under the Pessac-Léognan appellation. It is recognised as a Grand Cru Classé de Graves, notably for its white wines." }, { "question": "Who owns Château Couhins?", "answer": "Château Couhins has been owned by INRAE (Institut National de la Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement) since 1968, when the institute acquired the estate." }, { "question": "What is the surface area and grape variety breakdown of the vineyard?", "answer": "The vineyard covers 32 hectares, of which 22 hectares are planted with red grape varieties (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc) and 10 hectares with white grape varieties (Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris). Sémillon is currently being reintroduced." }, { "question": "What environmental certifications does Château Couhins hold?", "answer": "Château Couhins has been certified organic since the 2022 vintage. The estate is also ISO 14001 certified, demonstrating its commitment to an Environmental Management System (EMS)." } ] }

The vineyard (terroir)

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The vineyard of Château Couhins covers a total surface area of 32 hectares, of which 22 hectares are planted with red grape varieties and 10 hectares with white grape varieties. The average age of the vines is 35 years. Harvesting is carried out by hand.

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Located in the northernmost part of the Graves region, close to Bordeaux, the estate enjoys a temperate oceanic climate. The terroir is characterised by a diversity of soils:\n

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• A gravel crest: composed of a layer of pebbles over a compact clay subsoil, particularly well suited to Cabernet Sauvignon.
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• A clay-limestone hillside: consisting of cool soils with friable limestone, ideal for Sauvignon Blanc.
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• A sandy-gravel plateau: resulting from the erosion of the gravel crest, with a clay subsoil, composed of sand, gravel, and clay, well suited to Cabernets and Petit Verdot.
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\nThe grape variety plantings comprise approximately 2/3 red grapes and 1/3 white grapes. For the red grape varieties, the breakdown is 46% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. For the white grape varieties, plantings consist of 96% Sauvignon Blanc and 4% Sauvignon Gris. Sémillon is being reintroduced starting in 2024.

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Key cuvées

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Château Couhins produces both red and white wines. The principal cuvée is Château Couhins Cru Classé de Graves, crafted in both red and white. The estate also produces a second wine named La Dame de Couhins, available in red and white.

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Vinification and ageing

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Vinification and ageing practices at Château Couhins are guided by a search for precision and respect for the fruit, aligning with the estate's agro-ecological philosophy.

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