At Château Cazebonne, amphora ageing embodies our commitment to enriching the expression of our wines, taking advantage of an updated ancestral method. This technique, although thousands of years old, offers an incomparable aromatic profile and texture, distinguishing itself from more recent ageing practices. The amphora, originally a simple terracotta jar, has become a precious tool for winemakers seeking to magnify the fruit's authenticity without any oaky artifice.

An ancestral oenological practice reinvented

Amphora ageing is a wine maturation method that uses ceramic vessels, often made of terracotta or stoneware. The main objective is to allow a gentle and controlled micro-oxygenation of the wine, thus favouring its evolution without the addition of exogenous aromas such as those imparted by wood. This subtle permeability allows the wine's tannins to soften and the structure to refine, while revealing exceptional aromatic purity and complexity, characteristic of the terroir.

The oenological objectives of amphora ageing

The use of amphorae aims at several key objectives. For white wines, they preserve freshness and aromatic liveliness, while providing a silky texture and depth that is not always found when ageing in inert vats. For red wines, controlled micro-oxygenation softens the tannins, integrates the wine's structure and reveals the true nature of the grape variety and the terroir. The amphora acts as an amplifier of the wine's intrinsic expression.

Materials and their specificities: stoneware versus terracotta

There are mainly two types of materials for modern amphorae, each with its specificities for wine ageing:

• Stoneware amphorae

  These amphorae are made from clay fired at very high temperatures, a process that gives them a dense structure and extremely low porosity. This low porosity greatly limits gas exchange with the outside, allowing optimal preservation of the aromatic freshness and liveliness of the wines, particularly the whites. Château Cazebonne favours these amphorae for its white wines, in order to preserve the brilliance of the fruit without the influence of wood.

• Terracotta amphorae

  With a slightly higher porosity than stoneware, terracotta amphorae facilitate a more pronounced, yet still gentle, micro-oxygenation. This feature is ideal for ageing red wines, where it helps integrate tannins and refine texture, imparting remarkable roundness and length to the wines. Ageing in terracotta is a process that allows the wine to breathe delicately and develop all its complexity without masking its primary identity.

The Château Cazebonne approach

At Château Cazebonne, the decision to adopt amphora ageing is part of our philosophy of innovation and respect for the terroir, joining our initiative to replant forgotten Bordeaux grape varieties. We use amphorae for our selected cuvées to offer them an ageing process that reveals the purity of the fruit and the minerality of our soils, complementing our ageing in vats, oak barrels or eggs. This method is a constant exploration to offer wines of extraordinary finesse and authenticity. To find out more about our techniques and our commitment, you can also discover our work on biodynamics or agroecology in viticulture.

Amphora ageing is proof of our commitment to reinventing Bordeaux oenology, seeking the perfect balance between tradition and modernity. This demanding work is made possible thanks to the unwavering support of the many enthusiasts who have adopted our wines and share our vision. To learn more about the fascinating history of the grape varieties that have shaped our region, we invite you to receive the digital version of the book "Bordeaux, une histoire de cépages"; you can also test your knowledge via our oenological quizzes. Discover all of our exceptional cuvées, aged with passion and expertise, and available for sale in our online shop.