Winemaker Notes
Chateau Paradis Casseuil is a former dependence of Chateau Rieussec. It also underwent Rieussec’s troubled history in the 20th century. Taken under Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite)’s wing in 1984, Chateau Paradis Casseuil’s cellars are located in the heart of the vineyard located in Sainte-Foy-la-Longue.
The Chateau Paradis Casseuil cellars, located in Sainte-Foy-la-Longue are used to vinify the red wines. White wines are vinified at Chateau Rieussec, benefiting from the same modern technical instruments used for the Grand Vin Chateau Rieussec.
The vineyard is located in the three districts of Casseuil, Caudrot, and Sainte-Foy-la-Longue in the appellation Entre-Deux-Mers. There are 23 hectares (57.5 acres) of vines including 17 hectares of red varietals on claylimestone soil at Caudrot and Ste-Foy, and clay and gravel soil at Casseuil. The red varietals are 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 5% of Cabernet Franc. And the white varietals are 60% of Semillion, 20% of Muscadelle and 20% of Sauvignon blanc.
The wines of Chateau Paradis Casseuil are bottled in spring without ageing in oak barrels. This allows the wines to keep their freshness and the fruit. They can be enjoyed within 2 to 3 years after harvest.
In most of France, wines are named by their place of origin and not by the type of grape (with the exception of Alsace). Just like a red Burgundy is by law, always made of Pinot noir, a red Bordeaux is a blended wine composed mainly of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Depending on the laws of the village from which the grapes come, the conditions of the vintage and decisions of the winemaker, the blend can be further supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and in rare cases, Carmenere. So popular and repeated has this mix of grape varieties become worldwide, that the term, Bordeaux Blend, refers to a wine blended in this style, regardless of origin.