When Jean-Louis Alloin, entrepreneur from Lyon, and his wife Olivia decide to invest in the vineyard of Bordeaux, they seek some advice from young consultant David Liorit, 32, one of Stéphane Derenoncourt's alumni. It signs the discovery and purchase in 2014 of Château Petit Val in the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru appellation.
Located at the foot of Saint-Emilion, 2 km north of the village and close to the prestigious Châteaux Cheval Blanc, La Dominique et Ripeau, it draws its name from the topography of the site whose configuration and sand and clay terroir, north of the hill of Cadet, shapes a small valley, namely Petit Val. The estate has a real potential to develop: perfectly healthy vines, a good terroir and a geographic location that enables the extension of the vineyard.
David Liorit takes over the management of the estate and from his arrival implements integrated vine growing in order to protect the environment and produce perfectly sound grapes: development of biodiversity with the replanting of natural hedges and the settlement of hives, no use of insecticides and weed-killers, minimum use of phytosanitary treatments … The continuous observation of the vine stocks guides David's work from pruning till harvesting.
From 6.5 ha in 2014, Château Petit Val will soon grow up to 12 ha thanks to the purchase of neighbouring plots of land that will enable the addition of clay and limestone soils and the development of Cabernet Franc and thus provide more elegance and a more complex aromatic typicality to the estate's wines.
Harvest is done by hand and the grapes are laid in crates and cooled. A first mecanic sorting is operated before a second manual one so that no vegetal debris enter the vinification vats. And David only blends after the élevage in barrels (14 to 18 months according to the year). A complete follow-up of the plot of land until the bottle is thus completed and enables David Liorit and his team to propose a real terroir wine.
Expansion works of the vathouse with stainless steel vats equipped for punching down are in progress and will be completed for the harvest of the 2015 vintage.
From spring 2016, Château Petit Val will also be open to the public with a brand new space where the visitors will become familiar with the tasting techniques whereas the children will be proposed workshops to learn about scents. Visit tours will present the work done in the vineyard and the visitors will also discover the artworks of painters and sculptors exhibited in the premises and garden of the château. The whole offer will be complemented with a shop where the wines of the estate will be presented.
With farming in full respect of the environment, the production of wines that express the terroir they stem from and a lively place open to all at the heart of Saint-Emilion, Château Petit Val is to be discovered!
Valérie Massot Germe
• 6,5 ha in production – 12 ha in fall 2015.
• Grape varieties: 70% Merlot / 20% Cabernet Franc / 10% Petit Verdot.
• Elevage in French oak barrels – 2/3 new – 1/3 one-year barrels.
• 30,000 bottles of Château Petit Val produced in 2014.
• For the 2015 vintage, a cuvée is planned with integral vinification in 400-litre casks.
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