Château Clos Puy Arnaud

From time to time, it is good and even necessary to celebrate ourselves and turn opening a bottle of wine into an event. Although the possibilities are endless, in reality every wine has its moment. There are wines for all tastes and occasions. The palate doesn’t fancy the same thing on a sunny day by the sea, for post-work drinks or at dinner with friends. But although each person chooses the perfect moment to drink the wine they want to, the truth is that there are certain rules that will guide you towards the perfect pairing for every moment of the day and for every situation. Puy Arnaud’s range of wines is eclectic and creative. The aim is to offer a wide variety of quality wines to suit every occasion. But always with the distinguished and optimistic style that characterises this Bordeaux winery, which is part of the recently created AOC Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux denomination. An denomination exclusively for red wines that benefits from a large number of old vines capable of producing a concentrated grape that allows people to make aromatic, energetic and silky wines from them.

Clos Puy Arnaud is located near the town of Belvès-de-Castillon in Bordeaux. A wine estate standing on a large limestone plateau, a geological formation very similar to its neighboring AOC St. Emilion, and the real protagonist of this story.  Owned by Thierry Valette since 1999, this winegrower, a pioneer of biodynamics in the region, has understood the magnitude of his soils better than anyone. Some terroirs were classified as premier cru before being removed from the classification in 1955 because of the land. From these exceptional soils comes Château Clos Puy Arnaud, a wine made from 30-year-old Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines grown using organic (AB label) and biodynamic (Demeter certification) principles and harvested by hand. In the winery, the whole grapes undergo cold pre-fermentation maceration under inert gas and ferment in wood and cement vats with native yeasts at low temperatures. The wine is then aged 1/3 in barrels (15% in new wood), 1/3 in demi-muids and 1/3 in amphorae for 6 months. Finally, the different wines are blended in uncovered cement vats and remain there for 3 months before bottling.

With a focus on freshness and character, Château Clos Puy Arnaud is a wine whose secret lies in the soil, as is the case in all great estates. With a dazzlingly concentrated mineral core and a beautiful structure, you have to find the right moment to open it. Slowly, calmly and with all senses ready to transport you to its wonderful origin.