Visits

Château Desmirail
Margaux, 3^rd Grand Cru Classé du Médoc (France)


 

Estate purchased by Lucien Lurton and now owned by his son, Denis Lurton. Although the welcome is very pleasant, the estate's wines do not reflect the status granted in 1855. The Château Desmirail label was recently modified (and improved); the wines should soon follow suit.
 

Château Desmirail, 2005
Acceptable/moderately good. Rather powerful, fresh, astringent, angular tannins on the finish. Blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 51% Merlot. (Jan 2007)

Château Desmirail, 2004
Acceptable/moderately good. Aromas of red berries, powerful, softer tannins on the finish but still green. Blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon and 39% Merlot. (Jan 2007)

 

Ownership & Management
Denis Lurton (owner and manager), Pierre Lafeuillade (cellar & vineyard manager).

Consultant
Jacques Boissenot
 

Vineyard
30 ha, 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc. Vines are about 25 years old and planted on gravel soils. Manual harvesting and sorting, mechanical de-stemming.

Winemaking
Grapes are crushed before parcel specific fermentation in wooden and stainless steel vats. The wine is blended before aging for 12-18 months in oak barrels (1/3 new every year), then fined before bottling.

About 150,000 bottles/year (including 90,000 bottles of Château Desmirail).

Wines
·  Château Desmirail
·  Château Fontarney / Initial de Desmirail