Reviews

Hachette Guide, France
"The pale gold color reflects the youth of this wine, the bouquet with delicate notes of dried apricot is not yet very expressive. Creamy and tasty attack, this wine shows perfectly balanced with its aromatic freshness that lightens with good"

From the Vineyard

In the town of Barsac, one of the 5 towns of Sauternes, Chateau Roumieu, was acquired by the family Bernadet late nineteenth century and it is currently Mr. Olivier Bernadet who continues the family tradition by combining current cultivation and vinification techniques. Situated on the grounds of Haut-Barsac where the best wines rub shoulders, the vineyard extends over 9 hectares, half in soil clay and gravel, half red clay earth in Haut-Barsac, all on a basement limestone. The grape varieties are 85% Semillon, 10% Sauvignon and 5% Muscadelle.

The main reponsable is the Ciron, small stream born in Landes, which crosses the Sauternes. Its cold waters generate in autumn morning mist above a frank sun. It's the humidity and sun alternately causing ideal conditions for this mysterious alchemy that makes a parasite Botrytis Cinéréa most precious in the development of this liquid gold. The size at "cost" in traditional Sauternes determines the quality of the harvest and the health of the plant. Treatments against diseases reasoned according to climatology and pest pressure of the plant, always with the aim of preserving the environment. The thinning is to gradually remove the leaves in bunches of grapes to promote ventilation and exposure to sunlight. The harvest is manual from pickings to harvest only the "noble rot".

Made from pickings (3 to 6 passages) to harvest only the candied grapes affected by "noble rot", the must ferments slowly and then completely in barrels. After a selection of the best lots, the wine of Chateau Roumieu is aged for 18 months in oak barrels before being bottled. These wines are to be treated with great respect: it should be kept in bottles lying in a cool constant temperature. The leitmotif of the property is to produce wines with powerful and elegant end. This results in a strong aromatic power, the nose is usually very expressive. The flavours on which this power base are nevertheless very delicate: candied citrus, exotic fruits, floral notes. Each vintage brings its aromatic potential. In all cases, to be enjoyed at a temperature of 8° to 10°C.