Pauillac
Styles
Principal grape varieties
Terroir
Natural factors
- Three soil types: sandy gravels on ridges (croupes), sands over clays in low-lying areas (Sables des Landes), and grey/black clays of the «palus».
- A dense network of «esteys» and «jalles» dissects the terraces into ridges (croupes), providing natural drainage highly favourable to the vine.
Human factors
- New plantings made exclusively with «small-berried varieties»: cabernet sauvignon, carmenère, cabernet franc, petit verdot, cot, and merlot.
- The Pauillac appellation was first defined by court ruling (tribunal de Lesparre, 29 Nov. 1926), then by AOC decree of 14 Nov. 1936.
Product characteristics
- After extended ageing, the bouquet develops great complexity; a minimum of 6 months' élevage is required to stabilise colour and round out the tannins.
Terroir / wine link
- Well-draining gravelly and sandy-gravelly soils: the preferred terroir for cabernet sauvignon, sheltered from climatic extremes by the proximity of the estuary. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.