Les 6 au Jardin: A Family's Exquisite Craftsmanship
Les 6 au Jardin is a handcrafted cuvée born from the Martineau family's 0.41-hectare garden vineyard in Saint-Georges Saint-Émilion, reflecting both intimacy and elegance. This small estate, managed by Guillaume and Nathalie Martineau alongside their four children, embodies the family's commitment to precision and quality in every step of the winemaking process.
A Family Adventure in Winemaking
In 2018, Guillaume and Nathalie, guided by their extensive experience, discovered the perfect plot in Bordeaux’s smallest appellation to create Les 6 au Jardin. With Guillaume overseeing vineyard operations and Nathalie handling the estate’s commercial strategy, the couple involves their children in every aspect, from tending to the vines to the harvest. Together, they ensure every bottle embodies the highest standards of excellence.
A Unique Vineyard-Garden with Exceptional Terroir
The 0.41-hectare parcel lies on a south-facing slope, and since 1957, the old vines have thrived in deep clay soils. This unique terroir provides ideal conditions for the Merlot grapes to ripen slowly, maintaining balance and achieving a perfect finesse in every vintage. The family uses traditional techniques, plowing with a horse and sowing cover crops, to ensure the soil remains healthy and conducive to growth.
Infinitely Gentle Winemaking Process
The Martineau family applies their philosophy of precision and care to every aspect of winemaking. Grapes are gently foot-crushed using the traditional Portuguese method to preserve their integrity. The wine undergoes three weeks of fermentation in new 225-litre French oak "cigar" barrels, allowing for delicate extraction and a refined character. This process ensures that the wine retains its natural expression while gaining subtle complexity from the oak.
Exclusive, Limited Production of an Extraordinary Wine
Les 6 au Jardin is produced with low yields, resulting in only 700 to 1,200 bottles per vintage. After 20 to 22 months of aging, the wine is bottled without filtration to preserve its natural integrity. Each bottle showcases the luscious black fruit, vibrant freshness, and elegant structure that defines this exclusive wine, promising a graceful evolution in the cellar.
