In the vineyard
Lying on deep gravel in the appellation of Saint-Julien, Cabernet Sauvignon is king here, accounting for 70% of all plantings. Merlot represents 22% of the vineyard area with Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot making up the numbers.
The 60 hectare estate now boasts an average age of 40 years with some vines more than a century old. The younger vines are used for the second wine, Duluc de Branire-Ducru, which was introduced upon Maroteaux’s arrival.
The vineyard is increasingly sustainable with grass cover and ploughing rather than using herbicides and there are some organic trials in progress.
In the winery
A new winery was built between 2007 and 2010, creating enough tanks to ferment each plot separately.
The wines are fermented at temperatures slightly lower than the traditional average (26˚C-28˚C) but which are becoming the norm in warmer vintages in a bid to preserve freshness.
After three weeks on skins, the wine heads to barrel – around 50% new – for approximately 18 months. In recent years, the proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon has fluctuated between 56% in 2019 to 65% in 2014. The Merlot component usually constitutes around one-third of the final blend.