Château Bastor-Lamontagne has belonged to the Helfrich family since 2018. Located in Preignac, this 52-hectare vineyard has an essentially gravelly-sandy and clay-limestone terroir. The Semillon represents 77% of the grape variety, supplemented by 20% Sauvignon Blanc and 3% Sauvignon Gris. This grape variety contributes to the typicality of the wines of Château Bastor-Lamontagne. Valérie Lavigne, doctor of oenology and consultant, helps the estate to make the best choices, while respecting the “Bastor-Lamontagne” style.
Château Bastor-Lamontagne has been certified “Grapes from Organic Farming”
since 2016. How do you preserve biodiversity?
The organic conversion was initiated by our predecessors in 2014. For the Helfrich family, this is an essential guideline. To date, the technical teams follow 100 hectares of vines in organic farming in the Bordeaux region. We are lucky to have a vineyard that is 95% in one piece. We have in addition 35 hectares of wooded park and a forest planted with acacias, chestnut trees, oaks. We welcome three beekeepers and a hundred hives. We are surrounded by the living. This commitment to the preservation of biodiversity is based on the motivation of our teams, their reactivity and their technical skills.
How do you perceive climate change?
Sauternes is a micro-climate, the oceanic influence, the Garonne, the Ciron, the forest. Château Bastor-Lamontagne is ideally located in this privileged environment. Cool soils promote good adaptation to climatological changes. The vine is a plant that knows how to show great adaptability: in 2022, despite the excessive heat and the drought, we had an incredible botrytis. But this vine has to be supported: it was essential to adapt the leaf area to protect the grapes. It should be remembered that, each year, the objective is to prepare the grapes to receive the “noble rot” or Botrytis Cinerea in the best possible conditions.
How would you describe the estate's wines?
The young wines of Château Bastor-Lamontagne are marked by an energy, an elegance that springs from the terroir. A tense profile, a fresh, long and balanced finish with varied aromas. Older, their freshness remains present. A complex aromatic expression, a nice balance between sweetness and acidity, a slight bitterness sometimes. A smooth, noble and fresh palate. These are wines that reflect the terroir, that live. Whether as an aperitif or as a pairing to various dishes, the wines of Château Bastor-Lamontagne are there to match with convivial moments.
The new consumer tends to turn to less sweet wines, what is your strategy to retain them?
The typicality of the wines of the Sauternes-Barsac appellation is based on their natural sweetness. It is a heritage that we wish to protect at the property, and which has contributed to its notoriety. We have always been committed to offering wines that are more accessible in terms of drinkability, for a relaxed “pleasure” consumption. Our objective is also consistency in the quality of the wines, by continuing to strengthen our commitment to responsible practices.
What are your upcoming projects ?
Château Bastor-Lamontagne wishes to continue to develop its wine tourism offer. We are lucky to have a beautiful property, with a rich historical heritage. We want to introduce it to as many people as possible. We will soon be offering guest rooms, so that consumers can immerse themselves in the region and taste our wines in an exceptional setting. Soon, the vinification and ageing cellar will be fitted out, in line with the qualitative ambitions of the property, and to go ever further in the search for precision.
Interview by Sandy Bénard-Ravoisier / Photos : Château Bastor-Lamontagne
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