Château Croix de Labrie

The estate

Croix de Labrie began about 1990, in the garage wine movement of Saint-Émilion. Axelle and Pierre Courdurié run it, she in the vineyard and the cellar, he on the road. For the classification of 2022 they applied for Premier Grand Cru Classé. INAO ruled the application inadmissible, in decisions of August 16 and September 30, 2021, under article 4 of the rules, which asks a candidate to have drawn on average at least half its wine from its own land over the preceding 10 to 15 years; the Courduriés took INAO to the administrative court of Bordeaux, which heard the case on December 17, 2021. When the list was approved in September 2022, Croix de Labrie was on it, a Grand Cru Classé for the first time.

The vineyard is 5.1672 hectares, and it is not in 1 piece: ground at Badon, beside Pavie, on sandy limestone and clay over clay and limestone with an iron pan; ground at Le Cateau, in Saint-Sulpice-de-Faleyrens, on gravel with clay; and ground at Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes, on clay and limestone over starfish limestone. It is a Burgundian way to hold a Saint-Émilion, and a rare one on this list. The planting is 84% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Cabernet Franc, at 6,500 vines a hectare, pruned double Guyot and held to 6 bunches a vine at most, and the farming is organic and biodynamic.

The wine ferments in small heat regulated vats and goes through malolactic in new French oak, and Château Croix de Labrie is raised at least 18 months; there are 800 to 1,000 cases of it, and 300 to 500 of Chapelle de Labrie, raised 16 to 18 months. Camille de Labrie, 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, carries a label drawn by the owners’ daughter. The guest house beside the cellar is of the 17th century.

At a glance

Appellation

Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

Commune

Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes, with parcels at Badon and at Saint-Sulpice-de-Faleyrens

Classification

Grand Cru Classé in 2022, for the first time

The application

For Premier Grand Cru Classé; ruled inadmissible by INAO on August 16 and September 30, 2021; heard at the administrative court of Bordeaux on December 17, 2021

Owners

Axelle and Pierre Courdurié

Vineyard

5.1672 hectares in 3 places; 6,500 vines a hectare, double Guyot, 6 bunches a vine at most

Ground

Badon: sandy limestone and clay over clay and limestone with an iron pan; Le Cateau: gravel with clay; Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes: clay and limestone over starfish limestone

Grapes

Merlot 84%, Cabernet Sauvignon 12%, Cabernet Franc 4%

Farming

Organic and biodynamic

Cellar

Small heat regulated vats; malolactic in new French oak; at least 18 months

Production

800 to 1,000 cases of the first wine; 300 to 500 of Chapelle de Labrie

Wines

Château Croix de Labrie; Chapelle de Labrie; Camille de Labrie

Sources: Château Croix de Labrie, the domain · Château Croix de Labrie, the wines · Château Croix de Labrie, the family wines · Association des Grands Crus Classés de Saint-Émilion, Château Croix de Labrie · Intervignes, the courts are reached before the 2022 classification of the wines of Saint-Émilion · Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité, the Saint-Émilion classification of 2022