Sainte-Croix-du-Mont estate with south-facing Garonne vineyards, fossilized oyster beds, dry white wine and noble rot Tradition.
The producer
Château La Rame sits 40 kilometers southeast of Bordeaux in Sainte-Croix-du-Mont. Its hillside vineyards overlook the Garonne and face full south, while clay-limestone soil carries fossilized oyster beds from the Tertiary era. The main vineyard is planted 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc, with vines averaging 50 years of age. The range includes the dry, unoaked Château La Rame 2021 and Sainte-Croix-du-Mont Tradition, harvested by hand in successive passes and aged two years in tank. Claude Armand purchased the property when the appellation had fallen out of favor; Yves Armand is the current owner.
Known for
Dry and sweet Bordeaux whites
Notable facts
Château La Rame is 40 kilometers southeast of Bordeaux in Sainte-Croix-du-Mont.
Its main vineyard is 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc, with an average vine age of 50 years.
The 20 hectare estate sits on clay-limestone marked by fossilized oyster beds from the Tertiary era.
Sainte-Croix-du-Mont Tradition is harvested by hand in successive passes and aged two years in tank before bottling.
The story
Claude Armand Buys La Rame
Château La Rame earned gold medals at exhibitions in Bordeaux in 1895 and Paris in 1900. Claude Armand purchased the property at a time when the Sainte-Croix-du-Mont appellation had fallen out of favor. He restored the appellation's reputation. Yves Armand, his son, is the current owner. The estate sits 40 kilometers southeast of Bordeaux, with hillside vineyards overlooking the Garonne and facing full south. Its main vineyard is planted 75% to Sémillon and 25% to Sauvignon Blanc, with an average vine age of 50 years.
From the atlas
Château La Rame
Château La Rame in Sainte-Croix-du-Mont makes dry white and noble rot sweet wines from south-facing vineyards above the Garonne.
At A Glance
Appellation
Sainte-Croix-du-Mont
Main grapes
Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc
Signature wine
Château La Rame 2021
Defining feature
South-facing hillside vineyards above the Garonne on clay-limestone marked by fossilized oyster beds
The Producer
South-facing vineyards above the Garonne are the setting for Château La Rame, a Bordeaux estate 40 kilometers southeast of Bordeaux in Sainte-Croix-du-Mont. Its main vineyard averages 50 years of vine age and is planted to Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. The estate works across dry white wine and sweet Sainte-Croix-du-Mont styles.
Place
Sainte-Croix-du-Mont is a 250 hectare appellation on the right bank of the Garonne that produces sweet wines. The appellation's wines carry ripe fruit and white flower aromas, with rich, finely balanced sweetness and a style often compared with the classified grand crus of Sauternes.
Wines
Château La Rame 2021 is the dry white wine in the range, made from 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc with no oak ageing. At 12.5% ABV, it drinks like Sauvignon Blanc without cutting acidity and works as an aperitif, with shellfish, or alongside grilled fish.
Sainte-Croix-du-Mont Tradition is the sweet wine, harvested entirely by hand in successive passes over several weeks to gather fruit affected by noble rot. Fermentation lasts three to six weeks at controlled temperature, followed by two years in tank before bottling. The two wines differ in sweetness, oak and ageing.
Final Word
Château La Rame is a Sainte-Croix-du-Mont estate with the Garonne below its south-facing vines and fossilized oyster beds beneath its clay-limestone soil.