La Belle Connivence 2020

The aromatic charm of a Second Wine by an iconic estate in Pomerol

The property

The story of Chateau La Connivence is, above all, a story of friendship between three wine-loving friends who decided to create a "very good wine". The superb Pomerol appellation became, thus, the birthplace of this connivence which brought the three owners together: Johan Micoud, former international footballer, Matthieu Chalme, former Girondins de Bordeaux player and Alexandre de Malet Roquefort, owner of Chateau La Gaffeliere in Saint-Emilion.

The vineyard

Home to a vineyard garden, Chateau La Connivence is a real gem: 1.40 hectares located on a very large Pomerol terroir, iconic grounds for Merlot with the flagship grape variety covering 65% of the grounds at the estate. The chateau has also chosen to plant Cabernet Franc, which represents 35% of the vineyard. On this gravelly terroir, which combines thick gravel, fine gravel and sandy-clay soils, the 3 friends immediately foresaw that these would be the perfect conditions to produce a very fine red wine from Pomerol. To preserve this precious terroir, the vines are exclusively worked by hand and managed in sustainable agriculture.

The vintage

The 2020 vintage stood out for its earliness. Vine growth was indeed rapid due to the wet and mild spring season, which followed a mild winter. Rainy spells brought about a mildew pressure that was never before experienced by winegrowers. Due to a stormy episode, losses on certain plots were noted. Nevertheless, flowering displayed a beautiful homogeneity thanks to favourable conditions. Harvests took place around 10 days in advance under the intense heat which marked summer 2020.

Vinification and aging

After the manual harvest, the grapes are sorted by density. Subsequently, plot vinification is carried out in thermoregulated stainless steel vats with alcoholic fermentation marked by pumping over and punching down and malolactic fermentation. The wine ages for 14 to 16 months in new French oak barrels.

The blend

Merlot (80%) and cabernet franc (20%).