Château Arnauld closely resembles its more illustrious neighbours not only in the nature of its terroir, but also in its methods and its quality. State of the art technology serves to better understand and ennoble the living raw material, and each vintage is crafted with precision to honour the fruits that the earth has so generously offered. Since 2009 it has never failed to amaze those who taste it, and many see in it a potential new “great name”. In 2020 it was designated Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel in the very first edition of the classification.
In viticulture, as in the art of all things, the gift of nature is nothing without work, without the perfect mastery of technical skills to bring it to fruition. Château Arnauld benefits permanently from the expertise and exacting standards of the two distinguished winemakers responsible for its renaissance, along with a dedicated team of winegrowers and master craftsmen, united in their quest for perfection and their love of wine. Whilst its attachment to the group brings vision, method and security, Château Arnauld’s mode of everyday functioning as a family estate kindles energy, solidarity and an immense, shared, pride in creating outstanding wines.
From the vine to the bottle, advanced technology serves to better understand and ennoble the living raw material, to ensure that each plant produces the very best grapes possible, that only the best berries go into the vats, that the magic of fermentation is monitored with precision, and that the fine alchemy between wine and wood is enacted with finesse. An art, controlled by man, that continues to be elevated to ever greater heights thanks to technology.
Harvested entirely by hand, with initial sorting on the bush.
Sorted twice in the cellar, both before and after destemming, with the precision of optical sorting technology.
Cold pre-fermentation maceration, for all the harvest, to increase fruit aromas and permit slow extraction of phenolic compounds to create a richer, more structured wine whilst retaining suppleness.
Alcoholic fermentation in thermo-regulated stainless-steel vats. Post fermentation maceration lasts between 3 and 4 weeks depending on the grape variety and the vintage. Winemaking choices are determined by daily tasting.
Running off and pressing du marc. The press wines obtained are separated and selected by tasting.
Malolactic fermentation in vat after running off marks the end of vinification.
Matured for 18 months in new French oak barrels, made from mature stands of oak from the forests of the Nièvre and the Allier. The cuvée “Collection” is matured in exceptional barrels made from centuries old oaks.
Blending , takes place after the different batches of parcels have been racked into barrels and left to rest for a short period.
Light fining removes any final impurities, increases brilliance and intensity of colour, and smooths any traces of austerity in the tannins on the finish.
Château bottling. We use premium quality natural unsealed corks from the best forests of Portugal whose perfect traceability is guaranteed. 60,000 bottles are produced.
Each year the cycle of nature eternally recommences. Each year, through cloud and sun, rain and mists, the season has a different story to tell, and offers different grapes… Our role is to protect them and help them attain perfect expression on the vine before overseeing the magic of their transformation in the cellar. It’s a living process, ephemeral and fascinating. Each year the harvest is a different experience. Each year en primeur tasting reveals a new aspect of the Château.
