The ideas behind our choice of grape varieties

Lisse has a moderate climate that suits the Bordeaux varieties Merlot, Cabernet sauvignon and Cabernet franc. The Merlot always does well and makes very supple red, Baron de Lisse. The best Merlot grapes were so good we decided to do a more concentrated BL Merlot. To achieve extraction of the velvety tannins Cedric punches down the cap by hand which is physically very demanding and is only warranted by a great result!

We have 3 clones of Cabernet sauvignon which each have their own slightly different character. This adds to the complexity and allows us to pick some to make a sweet rosé whilst the others ripen in the autumn sunshine and give more structured wines, such as BL Cabernet sauvignon.

The Cabernet franc has been a very happy choice as it does particularly well on its gravelly slope. It is never a variety that shouts its character but I recommend trying it and you will find a well-balanced red with plenty of fruit.

As we are in the South-West of France it would be a pity not to have some local grapes and for the red we have a hectare of the powerful Tannat grape. It can be tricky in the vineyard having a compact bunch which can suffer from rot and keeping very high acidity until late in the season. For those reasons we don’t bottle a single varietal every year but when we do, you can be sure the grapes were totally healthy and fully ripe giving a full-bodied red which can age well in bottle. We are careful to extract just enough tannin but not too much: we want the wine to be ready to partner your magret de canard as soon as it is bottled.

Our final red is the Carménère grape which is grown in small but increasing quantities in Bordeaux and very successfully in Chile. On the well-drained loam at Lisse it makes a very distinctive red with spicy black fruit and a hint of bell pepper. Perfect to accompany Basque cooking with a hint of piment d’Espelette such as veal Axoa. A rare wine not to be missed!

For our white grapes we have the Bordeaux variety Sauvignon blanc. We have four different clones which adds complexity to the final blend. We pick the grapes by machine in the early hours of the morning which means a very long day in the winery. It is worth it, as it ensures the grapes are fresh and keep their aromas. We have a short maceration on the skins before a gentle pressing and cool fermentation. We aim for a zesty style with a little passion fruit on the nose without being over powering. It works well as an aperitif or can accompany light herby dishes such as grilled chicken with parsley, rosemary and thyme.

We also have half a hectare of Chardonnay which is such a versatile grape. Depending on the level of ripeness we make an elegant tank fermented wine or a fuller barrel-aged version. By picking very early in the season we even make a sparkling wine!

Finally, we planted the exceptional Petit Manseng grape. Cedric was determined to produce a really good sweet wine and this variety from the Pyrenean foothills can produce stunningly good sweet wines. Our vines are just getting into their stride and we look forward to making some wonderful sweet wines with perfect balancing acidity.