The Story
Denis Dubourdieu, the legendary University of Bordeaux professor who revolutionized dry white winemaking, founded Clos FloridĂšne in 1982 with his wife Florenceâtheir combined names becoming the estate's identity. The property sits on the limestone plateau of Pujols sur Ciron near Barsac, an unusual terroir for Graves where most soils are gravelly. This limestone foundation creates distinctively mineral-driven, floral wines. The red is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon (unusual for the region until 2001), fermented with gentle pigeage in stainless steel and aged 12 months in barrel. Denis believed in forcing vine roots deep into limestone bedrock for true terroir expression. The 2019 vintage was hot but the Graves appellation, with its cooler microclimates, handled it gracefully. This wine offers an alternative Bordeaux experienceâlimestone elegance rather than gravel powerâfrom one of the region's most influential winemaking families.
Description
Denis Dubourdieu, the legendary University of Bordeaux professor who revolutionized dry white winemaking, founded Clos FloridĂšne in 1982 with his wife Florenceâtheir combined names becoming the estate's identity. The property sits on the limestone plateau of Pujols sur Ciron near Barsac, an unusual terroir for Graves where most soils are gravelly. This limestone foundation creates distinctively mineral-driven, floral wines. The red is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon (unusual for the region until 2001), fermented with gentle pigeage in stainless steel and aged 12 months in barrel. Denis believed in forcing vine roots deep into limestone bedrock for true terroir expression. The 2019 vintage was hot but the Graves appellation, with its cooler microclimates, handled it gracefully. This wine offers an alternative Bordeaux experienceâlimestone elegance rather than gravel powerâfrom one of the region's most influential winemaking families.
