From Vine
to Wine
The Clos des Menuts vineyards are located to the west of the village of Saint-Emilion.
TERROIR
Its sandy-clay soils with alios subsoil provide excellent drainage of trace elements and are perfectly suited to Merlot, which accounts for over 80% of the vineyard.
GRAPES VARIETIES
They may vary from year to year and from vintage to vintage.
(80% - 85%)
MERLOT
It brings finesse, suppleness and roundness to the wine. It brings aromas of red and black fruits, as well as floral notes. Over time, notes of truffle, tobacco and old leather may appear.
(10% - 20%)
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
It produces more robust, tannic wines, with red fruit aromas and a hint of menthol. These wines are beautifully fresh.
(5%)
CABERNET FRANC
It adds spicy notes to the wine. Blended with Merlot, it adds finesse, and with Cabernet Sauvignon, roundness.
WORKING IN THE VINEYARDS
Between TRADITION and INNOVATION ...
without ever forgetting our responsibility to PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT.
THE MEN
Brothers Philippe and Jean-Pierre RIVIERE are in charge of
CLOS DES MENUTS, like their father before them.
​
As far back as they could go (in 1703),
their ancestors always worked
in an area linked to Saint-Emilion wine.
​
Since their childhood, they have been immersed in this universe.
Wine is for them a passion and a vocation.
​
Today, they are keen to develop
wines of character, fine, elegant and authentic,
by combining tradition and modernity,
without ever forgetting their responsibility to protect the Environment.
​THE VENDANGES
Once the bunches have been cut, the best grapes are sorted using an extremely precise optical sorting machine. They are then gravity-fed into the vats.
Fermentation then takes place in temperature-controlled vats at 28/32°C, with a vatting period of around 21 days. During the first few days, two or three daily pump-overs are carried out to extract the best tannins.
VINIFICATION &
AGEING
While some of the juice remains in stainless steel and concrete vats, another part is aged from 12 months (Clos des Menuts) to 18 months (Excellence du Clos des Menuts) in new merrain (French) oak barrels, from one and two harvests.