A few kilometers from the majestic Gironde estuary, the vines of Morillon blossom among a background of biodiversity, composed of forests and meadows over about 35 hectares.
The beautiful domain is located in Campugnan, a small village, 50 kilometers to the North of Bordeaux, in the vineyard of Blaye, whose soils are exposed to the oceanic wind.
The sustainable agriculture of Château Morillon
Since the purchase of the property in 2004, the vines have been grown organically. After 3 years of conversion, the whole domain was certified Biological in 2007.
Being organic is about going back to manual work and the observation of vines. In order to remove the «adventices» (or weeds) that threaten the vines and can cause diseases, they do shallow plowing and scrapings.
To avoid fungal pressures, such as the mildew, they thin out the leaves. When needed, a Bordeaux-mixture-based treatment (lime and copper) is sprayed at less than 4kg per hectare a year.
Terroir
Unlike other winegrowing areas of the Bordeaux region, Morillon is not located right in the middle of the endless monoculture of vines. Around the estate, you can admire some plains, hillsides, forests, meadows and fields, which dominate the landscape.
The vines of the estate are planted on clay-silty soils. Thanks to the nearby Gironde Estuary, these soils are enriched by the ancestral alluvium. The vines of Château Morillon are South-East and South-West facing; thanks to the nearby Atlantic Ocean, they also benefit from oceanic climate. Thus, mild temperatures, mature springs, and late and long autumns give an optimal ripeness to the grapes.