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

74% Cabernet-sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 3% 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.

Vineyard surface: 59 Ha

Soils: 2 hillocks of deep gravel lying on clay subsoils; gravely sandy soils and clay outcrop.

Harvest: Manual picking using small crates. Optical sorting.

Vinification: Stainless-steel vats of various capacities. Malolactic fermentation partially in barrels.

Tasting Note

“Lovely deep, concentrated appearance to this rich and complex wine. Elegant on the nose, where intense, dark berry fruit aromas intermingle with spice and liquorice.

Initially delicate on the palate, gaining rapidly in intensity to reveal rich and flavoursome mouthfeel, underpinned by fine-grained, silky tannins. The wine culminates in a long,

lingering and racy finish, defined by freshness and spice.” Frédéric Bonnaffous, Dourthe Estate Director

James Suckling

A dense and layered red with wet earth and blue fruits. Sweet tobacco, too. Soft tannins give this full-bodied wine a juicy richness and decadence. Plump mouthfeel. So good now but better in two or three years. 93 Points, February 2018

Wine Advocate

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Belgrave has a nose of crushed black currant, chocolate-covered cherries, warm plums and lilacs with touches of garrigue and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied with firm, ripe, grainy tannins and wonderfully pure black fruits with lovely floral accents, it finishes long and perfumed. 90 Points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, April 2018

Wine Spectator

Plump, with a core of steeped plum and fig preserve flavors, inlaid with hints of humus and tobacco. Reveals a juniper note on the relatively soft finish. Drink now through 2020. 18,833 cases made. 88 Points, James Molesworth, web-only 2018

Jeb Dunnuck

A solid effort with lots to love, the 2015 Château Belgrave offers medium-bodied, earthy aromas and flavors of darker fruits, charcoal, spice, and tobacco. It has fine tannin, impressive balance, and a solid finish, and should drink nicely for 10-15+ years. It’s a classic wine and a good value. 88 Points, November 2017

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