Importer:
Château Arcole is a tiny hidden gem in the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation, in the village of Saint-Sulpice-de-Faleyrens, just south of St. Émilion, 1 km from the Dordogne river. Located in a renovated, historic farm building dating from the 19th century, Arcole is the work of an impressive, dynamic Bordeaux family completely immersed in winemaking, with deep roots in the Entre-Deux-Mers region. Philippe Gardère is the vineyard manager and œnologist at Château Arcole, while Véronique Barthe is responsible for the sales, marketing, and communications of the winery. 

Château Arcole consists of a single, five-hectare vineyard surrounding the small house. Arcole is distinguished in the region by its impressive biodiversity, a feature of the agroforestry and regenerative farming philosophies practiced by its stewards. The plot’s microclimate teems with animal and insect activity. The property had been farmed organically since the 1960s, and biodynamically since their first vintage in 2008, gaining Demeter certification in 2012. The soil is worked by light plowing with horses to control the growth of the grass and, instead of chemicals, they use green pruning to limit yield, aerate the bunches, and promote the vines’ natural defenses against diseases.

The vineyard is planted to approximately 70% merlot and 30% cabernet sauvignon varieties, in a mixture of sand and gravel soils with calcareous elements. Soil studies demonstrate they are on the same soil layer as Château Monbousquet, a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé. The average age of the vines is between 30 and 35 years, and their proximity to the river means the vines are naturally protected from drought stress in most years. The family produces just one wine from the property; the Château Arcole cuvée averages around 25,000 bottles in a good year.

Vinification:
Vinification is very slow and gentle, with minimal intervention. Fermentation begins spontaneously with native yeast in horizontal, stainless steel vats (which allow for maximal contact between juice and solids) that are very gently rotated once daily to submerge the cap. No pumps are used at the winery and great care is taken to avoid over-extraction. After alcoholic fermentation, 75% of the wine is moved by gravity into French oak barrels (two-thirds used and one-third new) and the remaining 25% remains in stainless steel, where the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation. Maturation lasts between 14 and 18 months. The wines are bottled without fining or filtration and sealed with Diam corks to prevent TCA taint.

Village
Saint-Sulpice-de-Faleyrens

Cepage
70% Merlot / 30% Cabernet Sauvignon

Vine Age
35+ years old

Soil
Sand and gravel soils with calcareous elements

Fermentation
Spontaneous alcoholic fermentation with native yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks

Aging
14-18 months—75% in French oak barrels (2/3 used and 1/3 new), 25% in stainless steel

Farming
Regenerative, Certified Organic (Ecocert), Certified Biodynamic (Demeter)