20 000 The secrets of an enigmatic wine

14/05/2017

The door of the gate creaks open. This secret garden is set apart by a low stone wall, with nature all around. Thoughts and ideas mingle within the 20 000 vines, planted upon a single hectare of land. The creation of an exceptional wine has many origins.

The ‘terroir’. An essential, perfect combination of natural elements.

Boldness. That which is necessary to disrupt the status quo.

Labour. That of the patient winemaker, working the soils and vines by hand.

Love. That which is bestowed upon the product and all who delight in it.

Care. Verging on an obsession, which is transformed into art.

20 000 is unique. Who would dare to plant 20,000 vines on a single hectare of land. It’s unheard of, even in Burgundy (the region with the highest density of vines on the planet) where the greatest producers reach 12,000 vines per hectare.

The setting is also unusual: a veritable Japanese garden where balance and delicateness are cultivated, and the time is taken to work every vine by hand. No machine is allowed to pass through into this peaceful little haven. The soils are not compressed down. Nature is not disturbed.

20 000 was born from a desire to express the very finest of Château Croix Mouton’s terroir, without regard for established rules and norms. The idea sprung from a simple notion: the greater the density the lower the volume of production, and hence the greater the expression of the terroir.

Each vine offers no more than two or three bunches of grapes, but these are exceptionally concentrated and gorged with sun. This, in combination with the deep clay soils, gives the Merlot perfect balance, richness, finesse and delicious smoothness on the palate. The wines brim with ripe fruit.