Ian Hocking
Winemaker at Château Shuette.
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I want to make truly modern Bordeaux wine. I am not driven by a desire to make a particular style or to replicate a previous wine. I want to match what has grown with a style that intrigues me and allows the fruit’s natural beauty to shine.
I believe that natural winemaking is the only way to unlock a wine's individuality and potential. An alive, evolving, dynamic wine is the true expression of terroir.
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Ian jointly owns Château Shuette with his wife Shu Min Ho.
A Bit About Shuette
Shuette is a regenerative vineyard and farm.
This means we try to work in harmony with nature and use symbiotic farming practices that help to regenerate and improve the ecosystem through human scale agriculture.
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The farm is 12ha in total, with a large duck pond, over 280 fruit trees, 8 bee hives and more than 200 bird, bat and owl boxes. The vineyard covers 4.5ha, planted in one block next to the Dordogne River. Its proximity means we benefit from deep clay and mineral schist soil, constant breeze and significant diurnal temperature changes leading to rolling fog throughout the summer mornings. Great conditions for a long maturation period and focused acidity.
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Our vines have been organically cultivated by hand for the last 30 years, and we grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillion and Cabernet Franc.
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This year we will also plant Malbec, Chenin and Souvignier Gris a Piwi varietal that should be more resistant to disease and could become the foundation of our future winemaking.
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Continuing to look forward, we hope to launch a 2ha market garden focused on organic Asian vegetables, increase the number of free range ducks and geese and plant an additional 400 fruit and nut trees in silvopasture in the next couple of years.
Shu Min Ho
Co-owner at Château Shuette.
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Shu Min is a lawyer based in Singapore.
She has a passion for authentic artisanal food and drink and sustainability that complements Ian's vision for the vineyard. Together, they invest their time and passion into creating the new wave of Bordeaux wine.
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