The Vineyards
The Vineyards Château de Barbe
The vineyard covers 66 hectares divided into 41 hectares in Côtes de Bourg, chalky-clay soil over limestone rich in starfish fossils to produce Château de Barbe. Merlot is mostly planted on these soils with more shallow rooting and greater water retention allowing optimum maturity.
12 hectares in Bordeaux Supérieur as Chapelle de Barbe and 13 hectares in Bordeaux as Chapelle de Brivazac. These appellations are produced on alluvial soils along the Gironde called “palus”.
20% drop in yields since the 2000’s thanks to more rigorous pruning and grassing-over management to reduce vine vigour. A Current yields are 43 hectoliters per hectares in Côtes de Bourg appellation and 50 hl/hectares in Bordeaux.
Grape varieties in Château de Barbe.
Merlot dominating on the clay soils, late maturation, whereas cabernet & Malbec are more widespread on the pebbly soils. The planting density is 5700 vines per hectare.
- 70% Merlot
- 13% Cabernet Sauvignon
- 10% Cabernet Franc
- 7% Malbec
