Château Le Crock

Château le Crock is a vineyard classified as a Cru Bourgeois du Médoc, located in Saint Estèphe. This neighbor of the prestigious Château Montrose produces excellent red wines, respecting the traditions of this exceptional terroir. The Château's Premier Vin is one of the appellation's most renowned cuvées.

The producer

The Cuvelier family has run the estate since 1903. Also wine merchants in Lille, the winemaking expertise of successive generations at the helm of Château le Crock has produced wines of the highest quality. The Cuvelier family subsequently acquired two other important wine estates, Château Léoville Poyferré and Château Moulin Riche in 1920.

Today, the estate is managed by Sara Lecomte Cuvellier. Yields are deliberately low to ensure the purest expression of this great terroir. Harvesting is done exclusively by hand to select the best grapes. Fermentation then takes place in barrels, under the supervision of Michel Rolland, the winery's oenologist.

The estate

The vineyard extends over 32 hectares and includes rows of old vines, from which the estate's great wine, the cuvée Château Le Crock, is made. There are three distinct planting areas. The gravelly soil is sandy on the surface, and the subsoil is composed of clay. This exceptional terroir in the heart of the Médoc has been devoted to vine-growing for centuries. It offers excellent conditions for vine-growing, with water reserves and draining soil. What's more, the soil's composition ensures that the vines retain their heat better.

The grape varieties are typical of the Médoc, with more than half Cabernet Sauvignon, a third Merlot, less than 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. The estate is run using integrated farming methods to limit the use of chemicals.

Château le Crock enjoys the recognition of the Alliance des Crus Bourgeois du Médoc, having been awarded the title of "Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel supérieur" in 1932, and more recently, in 2020, that of "Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel". The estate's cuvées are recommended by the world's leading wine experts: Gault & Millau, Bettane & Desseauve and Revue du Vin de France.

The wines

Le Château le Crock is the estate's flagship cuvée. It's a powerful, rich wine with a complex aromatic palette. The tannins are robust and the palate is fleshy and fruity with aromas of red fruits. These characteristics make it the perfect accompaniment to duck breast or red meats such as leg of lamb or roast.

La Croix Saint Estèphe is the estate's second wine, to be chosen with a white meat meal or a characterful cheese such as a Comté. The palate is balanced, both full-bodied and fleshy, with an aromatic bouquet of red fruits and a fine finish. Powerful tannins are a hallmark of the Saint Estèphe appellation.