Calicem
Ownership
M. Xavier Jean.
Director
M. Denis Pomarède.
Oenologist
M. Thomas Duclos.
Origin
Saint-Emilion Grand Cru.
History
Plot acquired in 2014, adjacent to the classified plots of Couvent des Jacobins on the Southwest Slope, and at the Lieu-dit Mazerat, at the heart of the Southwest Amphitheater of Saint-Emilion limestone plateau.
Estate size
About 1 hectare.
Vineyard age
Vines of about 60 years.
Yield
Yields were limited to about 30 hectolitres per hectare given the age of the vines.
Production
Only about 3,500 bottles plus a few large formats.
Blend
100% merlot.
Vine works
Special attention placed on managing the old age of the vines. Plot conducted using the requirements of organic farming.
Harvest
100 % hand harvests on September 16, 2023, with a first grape selection on the vine.
Winemaking
Whole-barrel vinification ('vinification intégrale') in 500-litre barrels for the whole plot. Daily slow manual pigeages for color extraction. Barrel-specific extractions at moderate temperatures to obtain silky tannins.
Ageing
Exclusively in new French oak barrels of 500L from the Allier / Tronçais / Bertranges forests. Ageing during about 20 months in oak.
Miscellaneous Data
Alcohol: 13.5% vol. and pH of about 3.70.
CALICEM 2023 to be bottle in September 2025.
A unique plot
An everlasting attention to details
Passion and craftsmanship combining to produce CALICEM, a confidential
cuvée from very old vines.
A unique plot
An everlasting attention to details
CALICEM is born from a small plot on the Southwest slope of the hill of Saint-Émilion, with the unique characteristics of having a high share of limestone ('molasses du fronsadais') in the soil. The plot, which we purchased in 2015, is less than 1 hectare in surface and is adjacent to the classified plots of Couvent des Jacobins. It was planted in 1961-1962 with old clones of merlot, and has been exclusively complanted over the period.
The old plant stock, combined with an average age approaching 60 years, makes the vines homogeneous and unique. Yields are naturally low and berries concentrated.
CALICEM welcomed a jewel plot of old merlots in 2020. That plot is less than 0.3 hectares and enclaved on the Southwest slope within three First Growths at the prestigious "Mazerat" lieu-dit.
We tailor vineyard works to the old age of the vines, with the same attention as one would give to a garden. Year 2016 was the first one during which we only used organic products at the plot (similar to Couvent des Jacobins, the other family estate).
We vinify CALICEM separately from Couvent des Jacobins. Works at the cuvier and cellar are tailored to the unique characteristics of the plot, especially its age. We harvest manually in small containers, with a first sorting at the plant and a second one in the cuvier at slow velocity. Gentle color and tannin extraction is obtained through multiple daily manual 'pigeages'.
The natural concentration of berries at the plot suits them well for a long ageing process, typically 18 to 24 months.
We produce less than 3,000 bottles of CALICEM annually. The high concentration of the berries and a delicate winemaking and ageing give CALICEM a deep and vivid color, a great density in the mouth but with smooth, silky tannins and a unique saline aftertaste. The CALICEM label encapsulates those qualities. It represents the process of wine creation, from the vine roots all the way to the love that we gave it. The visual was created for CALICEM by Indonesian maestro of movement Nyoman Nuarta, in 2017.
CALICEM is not widely available given the small quantities, so we invite you to contact us if you wish to acquire a few bottles. Our contact information can be found in the 'contact' page of the site.