Château de Malle
Château de Malle was built at the turn of the 17th century in a prestigious area where the vineyards cover three communes and both the Sauternes and Graves appellations and was classified as a Grand Cru in the 1855 Classification. The business remains in the same family and is currently run by the Comtesse de Bournazel and her eldest son. The Comtesse’s husband replanted in the 1950s and so the average age of the vines today is about 40 years in the proportion of 70% Sémillon, 27% Sauvignon Blanc and 3%Muscadelle which make up the blend. The grapes are affected by noble rot (Botrytis Cinerea) and need to be picked by hand at several intervals to ensure that each grape is fully ‘rotted’. They are then separely vinified, blended and matured in barrel for up to 24 months. The wine is always a minimum of three years old before it is released for sale and will develop in bottle for many years.