Laniote St. Emilion Grand Cru Classe 2016

Chateau Laniote is classified as a St Emilion Grand Cru Classe. The estate is located some 5kms to the north west of St Emilion at La Niotte and is owned by Arnaud & Florence de la Filolie.

The wine label features an image of a 13th century chapel that is owned by the family. This hermitage is said to be the place where Saint Emilion himself lived.

Chateau Laniote was founded in 1816 by a St Emilion wine merchant, Pierre Lacoste. The estate has been in the Arnaud de Filolie’s family for almost two centuries, passing down from mother to daughter for eight generations. The name has changed with each inheritance: Lacoste, Rouja, Freymond, Schneider, La Filolie.

The vineyards are planted with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. They are planted on clay-ey limestone soils over a subsoil of “Fronsadais mollase” which is described as a windblown conglomerate of sand, clay and limestone with iron deposits. The vineyards are located at 54 to 80 metres above sea level. In the vineyard, viticulture is traditional with limited treatments, grassing-down, green-harvesting when necessary and double leaf-thinning.

After harvesting by hand the grapes are sorted both in the vineyard and at the cellar and are fully de-stemmed. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in temperature controlled concrete vats with a long vatting under careful temperature control and moderate vertical pressing. Malolactic fermentation in part using new oak barrels. After vinification the wine is aged for 12 to 16 months in oak barrels, of which 40–50% are new depending on the vintage. Racking every four months.

Chateau Laniote is a blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon

Consultant oenologist is Jean-Philippe Fort of Michel Rolland Laboratories in Pomerol.