Château Petit Gravet

Identity

Château Petit Gravet is a winegrowing estate located in Saint-Émilion, in Gironde. It is owned by Claude Nouvel, who also manages the vineyard.

History and philosophy

The origins of Château Petit Gravet date back to 1873. In 1999, Claude Nouvel took over the management of the estate. The property embarked on an organic viticulture journey, beginning its conversion in 2016. The 2019 vintage was the first to be certified organic (Vin Bio). The estate's philosophy focuses on environmentally friendly viticultural practices, ruling out the use of synthetic chemicals. The soils are worked mechanically, and canopy management tasks such as debudding, leaf-thinning, and green harvesting are carried out. Harvesting is done by hand.

Appellations

Château Petit Gravet produces wines under the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation. The estate's plots are located approximately 900 metres from Saint-Émilion.

Practical information

Château Petit Gravet is located at 4 Place Porte Bouqueyre, 33330 Saint-Émilion. Tastings and cellar-door purchases are available directly at the property. The estate offers guided tours of the cellar and vineyard by appointment.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The Château Petit Gravet vineyard covers a cultivated surface of 2.66 hectares. The soils consist of deep gravel and sand, reaching depths of 6 to 7 metres. The average vine age is approximately 45 years. The estate's current grape varieties are predominantly Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The vines are double Guyot pruned.

Flagship cuvées

The estate produces several red wine cuvées. Château Petit Gravet is a cuvée made from a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. This wine is vinified using traditional methods in wooden or stainless steel vats, with an alcoholic fermentation of one week followed by a 3 to 4-week maceration. It is aged for 12 months in 2 to 4-year-old oak barrels.

The Château Petit Gravet Marie-Louise cuvée is made from a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, sourced from a dedicated 1-hectare parcel. Vinification is also traditional in wooden or stainless steel vats. This cuvée is aged in new oak barrels.

Vinification and ageing

Vinification at Château Petit Gravet is conducted traditionally, in either wooden or stainless steel vats. Following an alcoholic fermentation lasting about a week, a 3 to 4-week maceration period takes place. The wines are aged in barrels for 12 to 15 months. For the Château Petit Gravet cuvée, the barrels used are 2 to 4 years old. The Marie-Louise cuvée benefits from ageing in new barrels. Bottling, labelling, and capping are carried out by hand at the estate.