Is the Château de Lionne organic ?
The Château de Lionne is not organic. As of 2019, the Château de Lionne is certified HEV 3 (High Environmental Value), which is the highest level of HEV certification. According to the website of the National Association for the Development of High Environmental Value Certification, HVE certification includes three levels:
"Level 1: Compliance with essential practices of environmental regulations.
Level 2: The adoption of low environmental impact techniques.
Level 3: The measurement of environmental performance thresholds for biodiversity and low input dependency."
We are planning to go organic, but the path to get this certification takes several years.
Do all the Grapes come from your domaine?
Yes, all of our wines are from our Graves vineyards.
Why, if all your wines are from Graves, is L'Envolée a Bordeaux appellation?
Specifications of the Graves appellation requires us to make only blended wines. Envolée is 100% Merlot, thus we can not label it as Graves AOP.
The Bordeaux appellation accepts mono varietals in its specifications, that's why the Envolée is labeled as Bordeaux.
Why are the wines of Château de Lionne mostly vinified without oak barrels?
Here at Château de Lionne our philosophy is to let the grapes express their essence. The aromas are already pure and elegant enough, so we don't need to add woody tones. Our cement and stainless steel tanks give us the possibility to vinify without masking or diluting the fresh fruit aromas. We use barrels with extreme selectivity, only for special cuvées.
Where are the wines bottled ?
The wines are bottled at the Château, where they are grown and vinified.
Are you planting new vineyards ?
Yes, we are planting new vines, and these new vines have been farmed organically from the beginning. Thanks to this, we may be able to acquire the organic certification more quickly.
We also have the ambition to plant vines that are not in the Bordeaux and Graves Appellation, to offer more choice to our consumers, but also to revive forgotten varieties.
Is the Château open to the public?
We do not currently offer a wine tourism circuit. However the door to our property is always open to the public who wish to order directly from the Château for pick up.