Ascumbas

The Gintrac family acquired the estate in 2013. They wanted to anchor it in the region's history by naming it Ascumbas, the name of Saint-Émilion before the monk Émilion descended from his native Brittany. The estate covers 5.3 hectares of vines in the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation, all on a single plot, which is extremely rare in this appellation. It was through soil analysis of this plot that they discovered the presence of several different soil types, ranging from clay-siliceous to sandy. Thanks to this soil diversity, the estate can balance vintages and create high-quality blends. With their consulting oenologist, Hervé Romat, they have therefore chosen a philosophy of returning to tradition and the fundamentals of the terroir. They are neighbors of Château La Fleur Morange, a new Grand Cru Classé of Saint-Émilion, which reinforces the great potential of the terroir. They employ viticultural and winemaking techniques that combine tradition with the latest technological innovations to allow this potential to fully express itself. They choose a grape-growing and winemaking approach that will produce a wine with excellent aging potential, a wine meant to be enjoyed at its fullest in a few years. The vines have an average age of 45 years. They are composed primarily of Merlot, which mainly imparts spicy and fruity aromas, and also Cabernet Franc, which contributes notes of raspberry, violet, and licorice. The Cabernet Franc adds body and structure to the wine. They use French oak barrels sourced from various forests (sustainably managed by the French National Forestry Office - ONF), working with three to five different coopers each year, depending on the vintage. They collaborate with different cooperages because, depending on their production methods, the barrels will impart different characteristics to the wine.