Château de Grandchamp is the only domaine on the hillside overlooking the ancient commune of Parsac, located in the Montagne Saint-Emilion appellation on the right bank of the Dordogne. It is one of several villages that abut the Saint-Emilion appellation proper and are allowed to include the village plus St Emilion on the label. Vigneron Gonzague Maurice manually farms 10 hectares of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon in densely planted vineyards rooted in clay-limestone soils with small traces of iron. Given the close proximity to Saint-Emilion, Merlot reigns supreme here, though with the changing climate, Gonzague has planted additional Cab Franc which is later ripening, but now helps to provide freshness and complexity particularly in warmer years. The vineyard has been farmed organically since 2010, however the Estate has abandoned the official certification given the cost and additional bureaucratic complications this entails for such humbly-priced wines. In the vineyards, the grass is sown regularly between vine rows and ploughing is done in alternating rows. Gonzague’s sole objective in the vineyard is to obtain perfectly ripe and clean fruit. Triage is done in both the vineyard and the cellar to ensure the highest quality grapes. In the cellar, grapes are vinified in small, temperature-controlled, concrete tanks and then aged in a combination of tank and one to two year old barrels. Above all, he seeks to preserve the fruit throughout the fermentation and ageing processes. The resulting wine is aromatically vibrant and beautiful balanced with soft tannins. The rock carving on the front label originates from a small 18th century tower located in the middle of the Grandchamp vineyard. It represents a pioneer on the Route de Saint Jacques de Compostelle, a pilgrimage route of thousands to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain where the remains of apostle Saint James are said to be buried.