The Cellar

2018: a vintage close to our hearts

By Romik Arconian on Feb 21, 2025

Ah yes, 2018. The year France lifted the World Cup trophy again (Allez les Bleus!), the year of “The Royal Wedding: Part II” with Prince Harry & Meghan... and we welcomed our first child—an unforgetta...

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The Cuve 8a story

By Romik Arconian on Feb 20, 2025

The philosophy behind Cuve 8a When we set out to create Cuve 8a, the goal was simple: let the vineyard speak for itself. By eliminating oak aging, we allow the natural complexity of our gravelly clay-limest...

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Corked wine: what happened & how we’ve got you covered 🍷

By Romik Arconian on Feb 20, 2025

We’ve all been there—you open a bottle you’ve been saving for the perfect occasion, pour a glass, take a sip, and… oh no, it’s corked. That unmistakable musty aroma, the dull, flat flavors—definitely not wha...

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Just don’t screw it up : Don’t pick too late

By Romik Arconian on Feb 19, 2025

Mastering Ripeness: the key to balanced wines As you should be aware, and we are extremely proud of the fact, our dear Thierry Garnaud was at the helm of Chateau Cheval Blancs' winemaking for 35 vintages, cr...

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Red-Winuary: a balanced approach to January 2025

By Romik Arconian on Dec 30, 2024

As the festive season ends, many turn to Dry January, a month-long pause from alcohol. While this can be an excellent initiative for some, others may find it challenging to go completely dry. Enter Red-Winu...

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All about Malolactic Fermentation aka MLF

By Romik Arconian on Nov 08, 2024

As the harvest winds down, a new stage begins in the winemaking process: malolactic fermentation, affectionately known as “MLF.” This essential step transforms the bright malic acid in our wine into a smoo...

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Aah, en Magnum...

By Romik Arconian on Oct 25, 2024

The science behind wine aging slower in large formats, such as magnums (1.5L) or even larger bottles, comes down to the interaction between oxygen, the wine, and the ratio of liquid to air exposure in the ...

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Taste history with our Classic Tasting Case

By Romik Arconian on Oct 22, 2024

What's in a year? As you most likely know, the quality of a wine is heavily impacted by the climatic conditions of the year in which it was made. Simply put, the weather affects the quality of the grapes, si...

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The Art of Remontage and Écoulage: A Glimpse into Our Winemaking Process 🍷

By Romik Arconian on Oct 18, 2024

No rest post harvest! The work in our vineyard continues with remontage and écoulage—two crucial steps in the winemaking process. Without giving away too many of our winemaking secrets, we thought you might...

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Why use a screw cap?

By Romik Arconian on Oct 11, 2024

As previously stated, we aren’t going to switch to screw caps full time any time soon, and we produced a one off parcel to order for the wonderful people at SAS Airlines, for their Business Class none the ...

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Chaptalisation in Lalande-de-Pomerol: a fine balance

By Romik Arconian on Oct 04, 2024

Chaptalisation, a winemaking technique named after the French chemist Jean-Antoine Chaptal, involves the addition of sugar to grape must during fermentation. It’s a practice in fact generally employed to in...

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The Corkscrew in Bordeaux: a detailed history

By Romik Arconian on Sep 19, 2024

Bordeaux, surely the world’s most revered wine region, has a rich history intertwined with the development of one of the most essential tools in the wine world: the corkscrew. This modest invention has pla...

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Vintage analysis 2024 part one, harvest starting mid next week (probably)

By Romik Arconian on Sep 17, 2024

We’ve tasted & analysed grapes over various parcels. Some key takeaways before the beginning of the 2024 harvest, which we anticipate starting middle of next week: - One of the warmest & wettest wi...

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How to choose the best moment to harvest at Château Canon Chaigneau

By Romik Arconian on Sep 13, 2024

Here, one of the most important decisions that impacts the quality of each vintage is determining the perfect moment to harvest. This decision isn’t taken lightly—it’s a meticulous process that blends deep ...

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How does oxygen impact the characteristics and quality of red wine?

By Romik Arconian on Sep 06, 2024

When a red wine, like a young Merlot-driven Bordeaux, is exposed to oxygen after being left open, several chemical reactions occur, particularly involving compounds in the wine such as polyphenols (tannins ...

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What growing conditions make a vintage perfect?

By Romik Arconian on Aug 30, 2024

Vintages are increasingly heralded as ‘outstanding’, or perfect and indeed, in 2020 things were absolutely spot on but what makes a perfect Bordeaux Merlot vintage, in terms of climate, and how? A perfect ...

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Veraison and its significance for winegrowers in Lalande de Pomerol

By Romik Arconian on Aug 16, 2024

In the vineyards of Lalande de Pomerol, the Veraison marks a moment of great relief and anticipation for winegrowers, particularly those cultivating Merlot, the dominant grape variety in the region. This cr...

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Cabernet Franc's rarity in Lalande-de-Pomerol: tradition and trends

By Romik Arconian on Jul 25, 2024

Cabernet Franc is a classic and versatile red grape variety that has made a significant mark in the world of wine. it is among the twenty most widely planted grape varieties in the whole world. Its origins a...

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The summer surge: understanding the vigorous growth of vineyard vines

By Romik Arconian on Jul 19, 2024

Summer is a crucial period for vineyard vines, characterized by rapid growth and dynamic changes. This is why this unusual weather at the moment is quite challenging for our big littles vines! Sun is finall...

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3 reasons to embrace red wine in the summer

By Romik Arconian on Jul 11, 2024

When the mercury rises and the days grow longer, many people instinctively reach for a chilled white wine, a crisp rosé, or a refreshing beer. However, red wine, often associated with cozy winter nights and ...

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Picnic & wine

By Romik Arconian on Jul 03, 2024

The History of the Picnic Okay, it hasn’t been the warmest summer on record, but 23 degrees and hazy sunshine, rather than 35 degrees and burning rays is of course a much more agreeable weather profile to e...

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