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Situated at the extremities of the St-Julien appellation, separated from its neighbour Château Lagrange by only a stream, Château Belgrave is one of the oldest Cru vineyards in the Médoc.

In 1855 it was classified as a 5th growth because of the exceptional quality of its deep gravel soils. Since 1979, with Chateau Belgrave, we have been extremely privileged to manage this large, classic estate, which is amongst the finest in Medoc.This significant responsibility, continued source of investment and tireless, never truly assuaged quest for perfection, brings with it the immense satisfaction of in someway expressing the character of the soils and revealing in our wines the refinement, depth and personality of this outstanding terroir.

Grape

75% Cabernet Sauvignon – 20% Merlot – 5% Petit Verdot

Vineyard & Vinification Note

HVE3 and Terra Vitis certified (High environmental value certificates)

The soils at Château Belgrave show remarkable diversity. Two hillocks made up of gravel and pebbles deposited thousands of years ago by the Garonne river, overlying a bed of clay, rise to 23 and 26 metres. This type of soil is favourable to late-ripening grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and also Petit-Verdot, which now covers 4% of the surface area following remodelling of the vineyard. The gravel thins towards the foot of the hillocks, where the soil is a combination of gravel and sand offering good drainage, and clay outcrops, which are particularly adapted to the cultivation of Merlot. A significant amount of work is carried out in the vineyard to ensure optimum quality of the grapes. Increasing the planting density per hectare to 10,000 hectares across 75% of the vineyard and increasing the canopy area moderates yields and improves the concentration of the grapes. The cultivation regime combined with sustainable plant protection throughout the growing cycle is then tailored to the mapping, including pruning methods, bud stripping, suckering, leaf plucking and cover planting. In this way, a perfect understanding of the vineyard and terroir will create perfectly healthy grapes of consistent ripeness, picked using selective harvesting and forming highly consistent cuves.

Pre-fermentation cold maceration depending on the characteristics of each plot. Alcoholic fermentation with 1 to 3 pumping-overs and/or 1 pigeage per day, depending on the batches. Malolactic fermentation partially in barrels.

The partially underground barrel cellar hall has been completely renovated, to highly modern standards, with the latest high-performance equipment controlling relative humidity and temperature. Part of the wine matured in barrel on lees to preserve the aromas. In oak barrels for 12 to 14 months.

Tasting Note

The wine is almost black in colour, displaying dark red glints and a delicate purple rim. The complex, intensely fresh bouquet opens on toasty notes, enhanced by powerful black fruit aromas. The wine is all-enveloping and characterised by an elegant, powerful, tight structure and silky, concentrated tannins. It evolves towards an impressively long finish, revealing attractive oaky notes. Magnificent Belgrave, very Saint-Julien in style.

James Suckling

A wine, with sliced plum and lemon character and hints of lemon grass on the nose and palate. Medium-to-full body, with fresh acidity and a clean finish. Try after 2016. 90 Points, March 2012

Wine Spectator

Shows the ripeness of the vintage, featuring sleek linzer torte and plum confiture flavors laced with mouthwatering spice and sweet tobacco notes. This has well-integrated toast and a very racy finish. 90 Points – James Molesworth, March 2012

Vegan.

Food Pairing

Perfectly matches red grilled or in sauce meat (roasted quails, beef fillet, rack of lamb with vegetables, duckling casserole, beef medallion with carrots and onions, spit hind), game (rolled fillet of hare with olives, roasted pheasant, pigeon in red sauce…), mature cheeses (cantal vieux, mimolette, gouda, Saint Nectaire, Salers, Morbier