Clos L’AbbA

 Marie-Pierre and Stephane Apelbaum

Saint Emilion Grand Cru

3.25 ha

The estate of Clos L’Abba is the creation of Marie-Pierre and Stephane Apelbaum. In 2001 they pieced together three small vineyard plots, aquired both by purchase and inheritance, situated in three different communes, Saint Emilion, Saint Sulpice de Faleyrens and Vignonet, exemplifying the different soils to be found in the Saint Emilion appellation. The average age of the vines is 25 years old and Marie-Pierre and Stephane are now working them according to their personal philosophy. The soils are worked traditionally without the use of insecticides and an eco-system is preserved that includes the natural ground cover and predators. The severe thinning of grapes is carried out throughout the vine’s growing cycle and harvesting is done by hand. The grape varieties are planted in the proportion 70% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. At harvest the grapes pass a selection process three times before being admitted into the winery for fermentation (sounds like Yquem). The grapes are fermented on their natural yeasts and extraction is obtained by manually breaking up the cap “pigeage”. The wine is matured in new oak barrels for 16 to 18 months.