CHÂTEAU DE BELLEVUE is a winery in the communal Lussac-Saint-Émilion AOC. It is located on the left hand side of the D122 road when entering Lussac-Saint-Émilion from the town of Saint-Émilion itself, and near (200 metres/650 feet) the gallo-roman settlement of ‘Lucciacus’ which gives Lussac its name. In the 16th-century Château de Bellevue belonged to the owners of Château de Certan in Pomerol, the Demay de Certan, de Bellevue. Before France’s 1789 Revolution, Jean Demay, former lieutenant particulier et conseiller secretaire du Roy et de la Couronne de France became the owner. During the revolution the estate was seized as a ‘Bien National‘, and was subsequently bought by a son-in-law of Demay’s family. Château de Bellevue was acquired in 1898 by the owner of Château Grand Pontet in Saint-Émilion, a M Combrouze. He replanted Bellevue’s vineyard post-phylloxera. In 1942 a négociant from Charenton, Paris called Georges Périé bought Château de Bellevue. In 1971 Charles Chatenoud, a Savoyard, and wine grower from the canton of Geneva bought the estate. His son André Chatenoud now runs it.

ANDRÉ CHATENOUD graduated as an oenologist in 1976 from the Faculté d’Oenologie Bordeaux. He has worked stages at Château Figeac, St-Émilion (1973), Château Pétrus, Pomerol (1974), Château d’Yquem, Sauternes (1978), Dry Creek Vineyard, California (1976), Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, California (1979), Brown Brothers, Australia (1980).

VINEYARDS There are around 12 hectares (29.6 acres) of vines, mostly in one block, on slightly sloping terrain on Lussac-Saint-Émilion’s plateau (clay over starfish limestone or calcaire à astéries). The vines face south at around 80 metres (260 feet) above sea level. The main grape variety is Merlot (95%), plus Cabernet Franc and Carmenère.

CERTIFICATON Full organic certification since the 2005 vintage.

WINERY The cellars are located in extensive quarries under the vineyards and from which limestone was hewn to build both Bellevue’s 18th century château and other buildings in the area. 

WINES

LUSSAC-SAINT-ÉMILION AOC, LES GRIOTTES An unoaked Merlot intended to be drunk young. Hand picked, sorted, fermented and aged in cement or stainless, then bottled after nine months. “Griottes’ is the French term for morello cherries. 2004 The debut 2004 vintage (screwcap) showed bright fruit at Millésime Bio January 2006. 

LUSSAC-SAINT-ÉMILION AOC, CHÂTEAU DE BELLEVUE The grand vin. 2003 Picked 10-16th September. Nice use of oak over thickish wild fruit when tasted at Millésime Bio January 2006. 2004 95% Merlot + 5% Cabernet Franc. Well-handled oak, smooth, seamless integration with the fruit which is soft with nice ripe, almost grainy tannins and plenty of body when tasted with Eric, Corinne and Paul Laguerre and Silvana at dinner on Thursday 17 August 2007 in Saint-Martin-de-Fenouillet. 2005 Good+ on Monday evening 26th January 2009 during Millésime Bio at a winemaker buffet evening just outside Montpellier.

CONTACT Château de Bellevue, F-33330 Lussac-St-Émilion (Gironde), France / +33 (0)5.57.74.60.25 / www.chateau-de-bellevue.com