On that weekend in the middle of October, Château Cheval Blanc was open to the public. We happened to be driving by its gate at the time and noticed the sign. So we decided to pay it a visit.
Established in the 19th century, this wine château used to belong to the Laussac-Fourcaud family. It was sold in 1998 to the chairman of the luxury goods group LVMH, Bernard Arnault, and Belgian businessman Albert Frère.
The estate of Château Cheval Blanc spans 39 hectares and is divided into 45 plots. It is situated in Bordeaux's renowned Saint-Émilion commune bordering Pomerol, about which I have previously blogged. The historic vineyard landscape has been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Along with old villas and vineyards, the château also boasts a contemporary cellar equipped with state-of-the-art winemaking facilities.
Château Cheval Blanc wines won medals in the International London and Paris Exhibitions in 1862 and 1867, which are still displayed on the labels. Nowadays, its wines include ones with the highest rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé (A) status in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine.
前几次都是关于酒庄的久远回忆杀，今天来篇近期游览过的😃。10月中旬的那个周末路过波尔多区大名鼎鼎的白马酒庄，正巧遇上开放日，就顺便进去看了看。
门口的标牌上有着醒目的LVMH集团标志，因为曾经是家族所有的酒庄在1998年时卖给了LVMH老总Bernard Arnault，还有他的好友比利时首富Albert Frère。
之后进行了一系列改革创新，2011年建成了现代风格的白色混凝土大酒窖。这栋简洁的波浪状酒窖顶上有个花园平台，我沿着一侧的阶梯走上去，看到了周围大片的葡萄园和坐落其间的老建筑。
这块庄园位于Saint-Emilion区，跟我之前写到的Pomerol接壤，但是占地面积大很多，达到39公顷，分为45个地块，土壤兼有粘土和沙砾，酿出来的酒口感丰富。价格也很赶人，动辄成百上千欧一瓶，还有一些经典款比如2009年的grand cru特级卖到一万多欧。还好我酒精过敏，不会在这方面花钱^^。
The vineyards are right next to the path as you enter the gate. The grapes here are a blend of 52% Cabernet Franc, 43% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.
There are three main soil types in this terroir: finer textured clay, coarser gravel, and large gravel with sand. As a result, the vines and wines produced are endowed with a unique combination.
进大门后就能看到一列列整齐的葡萄株，品种和年代都标注在排头的木桩上。看到介绍上说这里的葡萄品种组合是52%的品丽珠(类似赤霞珠，但酸度较低，单宁含量少，酿出的酒味道更柔和)，43%的梅洛和5%的赤霞珠。
The white wavy cellar you see in my photos below was designed by Christian de Portzamparc, winner of the 1994 Pritzker Architecture Prize. It was completed in 2011 and received international architecture awards for its innovative and avant-garde design.
Inside, there are 52 concrete vats in different sizes. The plaques on them indicate the vat capacity as well as the vines' variety, plot number and planting time. These details enable the accurate wine-making and fine-tuning.
The cellar was certified for the HQE (High Quality Environmental) standard in building materials, energy saving and waste management, etc..
Wine lovers were happily tasting the expensive nectar in the room, while as someone allergic to alcohol, I enjoyed more the beautiful architecture and landscape. I walked up the wooden stairs at its outside to the rooftop terrace, and the view of the surrounding vineyards and buildings was gorgeous.
下面是当代风格的大酒窖，里面的现代化设备先进精准，葡萄酒爱好者们在室内各种品酒。
From the cellar's rooftop terrace, you can enjoy an overview of the lush vineyards and quaint structures:
从酒窖的屋顶天台上可以俯瞰周边的葡萄园和老建筑:
Seasonal decorations on the table echoing with the autumn scenes outside:
老建筑里桌上的时令摆设，和外面的秋景呼应起来:
The family chapel is also open to the public at the moment:
家族小教堂这个周末也向公众开放:
A lovely greenhouse and a pine tree that looks like a slender broccoli:
这棵松树好有型，像一颗高高瘦瘦的西蓝花。后面的温室里种着花草:
图文 by Donica，谢谢来访！=)
