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Château Lavanau, Côtes de Duras
Château Lavanau is located in the historic Loubes vineyard, around 70 miles from Bordeaux. The vineyard sits astride chalky, south facing slopes, known locally as the "Cradle of Duras". Being at the highest point in the Lot et Garonnes, the Chateau has a very special terroir which has produced many award winning wines.
The wines of the area have always been prized. So prized in fact, that Lydia (once mistress to the Sun King, Louis XIV) was prepared to stop at nothing to aquire them. She organised the murder of the Abbot whose order had worked the vines for 300 years, expelled the monks annexed their land, and grabbed all the wine for herself. So when we say the wines are to die for, we mean it literally.
Chateau Lavanau is owned and run by the Uhart family. They have improved viticutural practice and rebuilt the winery which now has the ultimate in thermo regulation technology. They have also invested in their own harvester in order to ensure complete control of the harvesting process. So unlike many other vineyards, they can pick grapes at perfect maturity, usually in the middle of the night when the air is cool, so that the vendange arrives cool and unspoilt at the winery.
