Ch. Crabitey

It may not come as a surprise to learn, that with a name like Crabitey, this is not a wine one see’s often on the UK market.  It has however always sold very well in France, and I trust you’ll see why.

Situated 20 miles to the south of Bordeaux, in the wine region of Graves and in the pretty village of Portets, the Château was built in 1872, by Franciscan nuns, and was to be used as an orphanage.  Knowing a thing or two about life, the nuns planted vines, to provide an income for the orphanage, and the rest, as they say, is history. 

Purchased by the intriguingly named Jean-Ralph de Butler (an agronomist of Irish descent) in 1985, the estate is now run by his son Arnaud.  The vineyard is run on sustainable principles, and there is a pleasing balance in their white winemaking – a nod to the traditional, with fermentation in French oak barrels, but with great attention to modern temperature control, in order to preserve the aromatic focus of the wine.

Crabitey is planted 60% Semillon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc. The vineyards of the Graves benefit from the cooling influence of the Garonne river just to east, and the deep gravel soils add a definite minerality and complexity to both reds and whites. 

Sauvignon Blanc & Sémillon

The blend used for White Graves and Sauternes and rarely encountered outside France. In the great dry whites of Graves, Sauvignon Blanc tends to predominate in the blend, although properties such as Smith Haut Lafite use 100% Sauvignon Blanc while others such as Laville Haut Brion have as much as 60% Sémillon in their final blends. Sauvignon Blanc wines can lose their freshness and fruit after a couple of years in bottle - if blended with Sémillon, then the latter bolsters the wine when the initial fruit from the Sauvignon fades. Ultimately Sauvignon Blanc gives the wine its aroma and raciness while Sémillon gives it backbone and longevity.

In Sauternes, Sémillon is dominant, with Sauvignon Blanc playing a supporting role - it is generally harvested about 10 days before Sémillon and the botrytis concentrates its sweetness and dampens Sauvignon Blanc`s naturally pungent aroma. It contributes acidity, zip and freshness to Sauternes and is an important component of the blend.