2007 Clos Floridène, Bordeaux, France, Graves

Clos Floridène is a 31 hectares estate mostly located on the calcareous plateau of Pujols sur Ciron, near Barsac, in the Graves appellation. A few plots are also located on the pebbly terraces of Illats. Since 1982 Denis and Florence Dubourdieu have supervised the replanting of the vineyard. Its name evokes the first names of its founders: Denis and Florence Dubourdieu.

A thin layer of red clayey sands, rich in iron oxide, and known as "Barsac red sands", tops the limestone bed rock. This limits the roots depth of the vine to about 50cm. The water that got stored within the slightly porous rock throughout the summer is progressively dispensed to the vine during the winter, thus preventing excessive water stress.  A small portion of the vineyard (3,1 hectares), on the commune of Illats, is planted on a gravelled and clayey rump.

The 22.7 hectare white vineyard is composed 56 % Sémillon, 43 % Sauvignon and 1 % Muscadelle. The plantation densities range between 5,500 plants (1.8 x 1m) and 7,140 (1.4 x 1m) plants per hectare.