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CHATEAU DE MALLE
(Sauternes) - CHATEAU DE SAINTE-HELENE (Sauternes)
CHATEAU DE SAINTE HELENE
SAUTERNES
Château de Sainte-Hélène
is the name given to the second wine of Château de Malle,
the Great Classified Growth Sauternes according to the 1855
classification. This wine is made by the same team as the
first wine which bears the name of the Château and the
cultivation of the vineyard is carried out with the same measure
of rigorous attention and meticulous care. The wine is made
following the same classical tradition as for great Sauternes
and is the result of a draconian selection process.
THE VINEYARDS
 Château
de Sainte - Hélène is produced from young vines
(10 to 15 years old) belonging to the Château de Malle
vineyards. The wine is less rich in concentrated sweetness
than its more famous “sister” wine, and is the
fruit of a different approach in making great Sauternes.
The grape varieties are planted in the following percentages
: 68 % Semillon, 29 % Sauvignon and 3 % Muscadelle. However
the variations in proportion used in the final blend may fluctuate
between 10% and 15 %, depending upon the vintage, in order
to benefit from the various characteristics desirable in the
wine : youthfulness, freshness and finesse. Only grapes fully
infected by noble rot, botrytis cinerea, are vintaged by successive
selective pickings. The size of the vintage is usually around
14 hectolitres per hectare.
THE CELLARS
Each load of grapes is carefully selected and very delicately
pressed. The settling of the must lasts approximately 10 hours.
Then the must is put back on the fine lees before fermentation
starts in the fermentation vats. These are used rather than
barrels in which the Château de Malle is vinified. Once
fermentation is completed the must is settled and stabilised.
The wine is matured in stave - wood oak barrels over a period
of between 15 and 20 months. The wine is bottled at the Château
about two years after the vintage. The average annual production
of Château de Sainte-Hélène essentially
depends upon the quality of the vintage. Around 20,000 bottles
are produced per year depending upon the size of the vintage.
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