France Graves
In the footsteps of Montesquieu
Promenade through the Graves
from past to present
Charles-Louis de Secondat, Baronde la Brède et deMontesquieu (1689/1755), a nobleman, politician, philosopher and author of the Persian Letters and The Spirit of the Laws, was very proud of his Bordeaux ancestry.
An illustrious owner-winemaker in the Graves region, free thinker and ardent defender of the vineyard in his time, his souvenir remains associated with the spirit of modernity that reigns among winemakers today. All the winemakers, whether they are in the Graves or Pessac-Léognan appellation, Cru Classé or not, breathe an invigorating dynamic into the vineyard, the wine cellar, and the promotion of the wines.
Château Carbonnieux. Caroline and Xavier Perromat, from Château de Cérons, successfully relaunched the wines of the eponymous Château in the Graves white and red appellations, in addition to the initial sweet white appellation: Cérons. Nor do they spare their efforts in cultivating a friendly reception at the Château, a superb 18th century charterhouse.
In the South of the Graves, Jean and Geoffroy D’Antras manage the 55 hectares of Château Magence, which has been in the same family for more than two centuries. The two brothers are determined to bring out the best in the vineyard and are trying out a new, experimental technique: music among the vines*.
To the left : Caroline Perromat and Dominique Guignard, President of the Route des vins de Bordeaux en Graves et Sauternes
. To the right : Jean d’Antras from Château Magence.Straddling across the two banks, Bertrand Guindeuil likes to juggle, constraints notwithstanding, between the Graves appellations at Château Le Cossu, with the resolutely modern label, and Premières Côtes de Bordeaux at the Domaine Darlan. A touch of experience and originality prompted him to test a batch during winemaking “in the bud”…
Women also play an important part. In the Graves appellation, at Château Grand Abord, the spokesperson for the château, both on the estate and for exports, is Marie-France Dugoua. Because the wine storehouse at Château de Portets was near the road, she and her husband decided to invest in a functional, cosy tasting room to provide wine lovers and neophytes with a befitting welcome.
Bertrand Guindeuil and “the bud”.In the Pessac-Léognan appellation, Stella de Sigoyer-Puel is active on all fronts. At the vines, she preserves the biotope of her vineyard at the gateway to Bordeaux; in the wine storehouse, she receives the harvested grapes and monitors the winemaking. Not forgetting how much she enjoys playing hostess: she helps the visitor to discover her wines, honey and cherries in eau-de-vie from the estate, and welcomes guests for a cultural event or musical evening … at her home, Château Bardins.
Sol de graves.
Already settled in each of the appellations and attached to their estates, some do not hesitate to diversify, however, while retaining the same work philosophy. In the South of Graves, on the Brondelle and Ludeman estates, the industrious Jean-Noël Belloc and his wife Muriel must no doubt have followed the call of a seductive siren for them to rise to the challenge in the Pessac-Léognan appellation in such difficult times. Since 2008, Château d’Alix comprises 12 hectares in red and 2 in white. A reckless investment? On the contrary, initiatives must be taken when times are tense!
In the wake of the Malartic-Lagravière Cru Classé, Séverine Bonnie will introduce you to a true gem, prepared in the same spirit as the great wines: Château Gazin Rocquencourt, a fine, tasteful version of Pessac-Léognan, not quite the Cru Classé, but with panache.
Tasting at Château Gazin Rocquencourt.
The appellation remains attractive at the gateway to Bordeaux. Real estate developer Patrice Pichet recently acquired Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, at the crossroads of Bordeaux, Mérignac and Pessac, in the vicinity of Château Haut-Brion. His ambition is to increase the quality by working plot by plot, and through highly selective methods and precision in the winemaking process. In the grounds, he intends to build functional wine storage facilities designed by Philippe Stark. He is also contemplating the creation of a second label, and has just bought 5.6 hectares from Château Le Thil.
All along the road of the Graves region, from the simple Bordeaux charterhouse to the most imposing chateaus, the architecture, history, and centuries have succeeded one another… Rochemorin and its 550 hectares was one of the greatest estates in the Barony de la Brède. From imposing wine farm buildings to contemporary chateaus and vineyards, the current owner, André Lurton, who created the Pessac-Léognan appellation, still walks in the footsteps of the great man through his free thinking and freedom of action in favour of the Graves region.
Château de La Brède.
From residential chateau to wine estate chateau or prestige chateau, the walls of La Brède, Carbonnieux, Haut-Bergey, Olivier, La Louvière, Smith Haut Lafitte, Rayne Vigneau and so many others tell the story of the region's major eras.
The renewal of the wines of the illustrious thinker pays tribute to the memory of Baron Montesquieu: 6 hectares of vineyard have been replanted on his historical estate. The label on the Château de la Brède bottle carries a reminder of his attachment to the vineyard:
“I am working here to make nectar”.* Music among the vines: a loud speaker system that plays sound to boost the natural resistance of the plant.Florence Varaine
www.bordeaux-graves-sauternes.com
