Chateau Soutard, Saint- Emilion Grand Cru 2015

Comprising 30 hectares of vines in the heart of the Saint-Emilion limestone plateau, Château Soutard’s single-block vineyard enjoys a patchwork of soils that contribute to the signature style of the estate's wines. Less that 30 centimetres deep, 70% of this terroir is located on the clay-limestone plateau, 17% on clay slopes and 13% on a sandy soil at the foot of the hill. This predominance of limestone leads to wines with a precise and firm expression, all of which offer an exceptional ageing potential.

Each vintage by Château Soutard is the fruit of a vinification process that respects the integrity of the grape and its aromatic brilliance. The grapes are harvested in 10 kg crates, in order to preserve their integrity, and are left overnight in a cold room. This is followed by a rigorous sorting based on the grape's density in order to keep only the high quality grapes, before destemming. The grapes are transferred by gravity into thermo-regulated wooden vats and double-walled truncated stainless steel vats. A pre-fermentation maceration lasting around five days precedes the alcoholic fermentation along with pumping over. Malolactic fermentation is carried out in equal parts in vats and barrels. The wine is aged for 18 months in French oak barrels (60% new barrels each year) from eight different cooperages.

In the 19th century, Château Soutard underwent a major expansion under the impetus of Jean Lavau, a renowned owner in the Saint-Emilion appellation. In 1919, the estate was passed on to Michel des Ligneris, whose descendants have been devoted to making Château Soutard one of the finest Saint-Emilion references for almost a century. 

Château Soutard turned a new page in its history in 2006 following its acquisition by La Mondiale. As the owner of Château Larmande and Château Grand Faurie La Rose, La Mondiale carried out major renovation work on both the winery and the château. The wine tourism activity was substantially developed.. Voted "Best of Gold" by Wine Tourism, Château Soutard also received the National Wine Tourism Award in 2012.