Chateau Caronne Ste Gemme L’Orage 2019
Caronne is derived from “Carona” for a local spring source, and Gemme a corruption of “James”.
In the middle-ages the locality was a parish on the grounds of a subsidiary to the Templar Commanderie at nearby Benon a few kilometres inland. The Parish was abolished during the Revolution and it is about this time that the first records of wine production at Caronne begin to emerge.
$160
The vintage
Winery
Chateau Caronne Ste GemmeAppellation & Region
Haut-Medoc, BordeauxBlend
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 7% Petit VerdotSoil
GravelAlcohol Content
12.5%Average age of vines
avg. 30 yearsVineyards & Vinification
Situation In the St Laurent Médoc area 500 meters south of the saint Julien strip and in the direct neighbourhood of the vineyards of Gruaud Larose, Lagrange, Belgrave, Camensac and Lanessan.
The vineyard, a resurgence of the St Julien occidental mound, forms an island of 38 hectares (94 acres) planted on first class günzian gravel on a base of iron rich sandstone, a little more sandy to the east, a little more clayey to the west.
The wine making The grapes are destalked, then slightly crushed and sent into stainless steel fermentation vats which are thermo-regulated. Fermentation is led at the temperature of 26/28° Celsius with light “over the top” pumping for a soft extraction of the skins. The maceration can last three weeks
The wine ageing of 12 months is made partly in French barrels of 225 L and partly in small vats. The wine is fined and finally bottled at the vineyard 18 months after the harvest.
The Winery
Caronne is derived from “Carona” for a local spring source, and Gemme a corruption of “James”.
The vineyard of Chateau Caronne Ste Gemme was first reported in 1648 when a local Landlord, Denys de Mullet of La Tour St Lambert rented it to a farmer in exchange of the wines produced.
In the middle-ages the locality was a parish on the grounds of a subsidiary to the Templar Commanderie at nearby Benon a few kilometres inland. The Parish was abolished during the Revolution and it is about this time that the first records of wine production at Caronne begin to emerge. In 1900 ownership of Caronne passed to Emile and Eugène Borie. The sons of Eugène would later cede their shares to their uncle and purchase Chateau Batailley and later Ducru Beaucaillou whilst Emile’s descendance would remain sole owner of Caronne until this day.
The property is now managed by François, the fourth generation with his brother Georges and his two cousins Michel & Jean François.
