Château de Bellevue
The good-natured proprietor of the Château
de Bellevue, André Chatenoud, seems more at home in his cellars than anywhere
else. Though he and his family
have owned the property since 1971, the history of the château dates back to at
least the 18th Century.
One needs only to explore the incredible limestone caves and see the rich range of old graffiti engravings to be
impressed: from harvest workers of the 1700s to American G.I.’s of the 1940s,
so many of its visitors have been eager to mark their place in time through the
walls of this small yet refined estate.
Like other châteaux of the region, the winery is adorned with the
elegant architecture of the era - the “chartreuse bordelaise.” This typical 18th
century edifice is built in a U-shape, using quarried stone from under the
vineyard. It is very practical:
you make a living from the upper layers of soil and build your house from the
deeper limestone.
Lussac St-Émilion is found on the
Right Bank of the Bordelais, and is often regarded as a “satellite” appellation
of St-Émilion. The terroir here is characterized by
exceptional quality – only surprising because the great, low prices here at
Bellevue stand to shift the perceptions of what good Bordeaux should cost. All twelve hectares of the clay and limestone vineyards are
farmed organically and were certified through the French agency, Ecocert in
2002. All grapes are de-stemmed
and only native yeasts are used. Wines are aged in the subterranean cellars for
two years before bottling. There
is a beautiful mineral components and freshness to all three wines: The Sauvignon Gris (a local, white,
heirloom varietal), the Lussac St-Émilion “Les Griottes” (a fresh,
easy-drinking cuvée of 100% Merlot), and finally their classic Lussac
St-Émilion (comprised of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc). Recent tastings of
Bellevue’s 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2005 vintages prove that one need not pay a high premium for age-worthy,
elegant Bordeaux. With such
lushness and mineral backbone, this small estate’s offerings only stand to
impress.

The good-natured proprietor of the Château de Bellevue, André Chatenoud, seems more at home in his cellars than anywhere else. Though he and his family have owned the property since 1971, the history of the château dates back to at least the 18th Century. One needs only to explore the incredible limestone caves and see the rich range of old graffiti engravings to be impressed: from harvest workers of the 1700s to American G.I.’s of the 1940s, so many of its visitors have been eager to mark their place in time through the walls of this small yet refined estate. Like other châteaux of the region, the winery is adorned with the elegant architecture of the era - the “chartreuse bordelaise.” This typical 18th century edifice is built in a U-shape, using quarried stone from under the vineyard. It is very practical: you make a living from the upper layers of soil and build your house from the deeper limestone.
Lussac St-Émilion is found on the Right Bank of the Bordelais, and is often regarded as a “satellite” appellation of St-Émilion. The terroir here is characterized by exceptional quality – only surprising because the great, low prices here at Bellevue stand to shift the perceptions of what good Bordeaux should cost. All twelve hectares of the clay and limestone vineyards are farmed organically and were certified through the French agency, Ecocert in 2002. All grapes are de-stemmed and only native yeasts are used. Wines are aged in the subterranean cellars for two years before bottling. There is a beautiful mineral components and freshness to all three wines: The Sauvignon Gris (a local, white, heirloom varietal), the Lussac St-Émilion “Les Griottes” (a fresh, easy-drinking cuvée of 100% Merlot), and finally their classic Lussac St-Émilion (comprised of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc). Recent tastings of Bellevue’s 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2005 vintages prove that one need not pay a high premium for age-worthy, elegant Bordeaux. With such lushness and mineral backbone, this small estate’s offerings only stand to impress.
Technical Information
Wine | Blend | Vine Age | Soil Type | Vineyard Area* |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sauvignon Gris |
Sauvignon Gris | 4 years | Clay, Limestone | .5 ha |
Lussac Saint Émilion "Les Griottes" |
Merlot | 25 years | Clay, Limestone | 2 ha |
Lussac Saint Émilion |
95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc | 40 years | Clay, Limestone | 9.5 ha |
* "ha" = hectares; one hectare equals roughly two and a half acres |
VITICULTURE / VINIFICATION
Sauvignon Gris:
• All grapes are hand harvested, sorted, and de-stemmed
• A pneumatic press is used to press the grapes into free-run and first press juice
• Wine fermented and aged in stainless steel tank
• No malolactic fermentation (except for 2014 vintage)
• Bottled unfiltered in March
Reds:
• All grapes are hand harvested and sorted
• Maceration lasts 15 days to 3 weeks and the grapes undergo natural fermentation in concrete and stainless steel tank
• Daily pump-overs• Malolactic fermentation occurs in cuve
• The wine is aged in French oak barrels, 20% of which are new
• The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered, in September
• Aged in bottle for 2 years
General Information
- Country
- France
- Region
- Bordeaux
- Appellation(s)
- Lussac Saint Émilion
- Producer
- André Chatenoud
- Founded
- 18th Century
- Annual Production
- 5,000 cases
- Farming
- Organic (certified)