The history of Bellefont Belcier castle
Property of Peter Kwok
THEChâteau Bellefont-BelcierIt was created at the end of the 18th century. It is located on the south coast ofSaint-Emilionand rubs shoulders with the prestigiousPavia Castle,Château Larcis-DucasseAndChâteau Tertre Roteboeuf.
Previously, this castle belonged to a powerful Bordeaux family.Count Louis-François de Belcierhe founded the vineyard at the end of the 18th century and then built the castle at the beginning of the 19th century which he namedBellefontThe nameBellefondrefers to the numerous springs located near the castle and originating from the clay-limestone hillsides.
At the end of the 19th century, the familyFaureacquires the Château and propels the estate to the forefront of the Bordeaux scene. At that time, theChâteau Bellefont-BelcierHe was awarded multiple awards, notably by the Ministry of Agriculture, which presented him with a gold medal at the Paris General Agricultural Competition in 1892.
Intact since its construction in the 19th century, the Château underwent significant work in 1994 to prolong and improve the quality of the estate's wines.
In 2006, theChâteau Bellefont-Belcieris classifiedGrand Cru ClasséIn 2017,Peter Kwoktakes back control of the property.
A historic property in Saint Emilion
A terroir and grape varieties typical of the Bordeaux region
The Château vineyard is located in the commune ofSaint-Laurent-des-Combesand covers 13.5 hectares. The estate's vines are planted on different soil types: the limestone plateau, the clay-limestone slopes of the south-facing slopes, and the clay-sandy foothills. Three main grape varieties allow for the production of exceptional wines. These include...merlotpresent at 72%, thecabernet francat 17% and thecabernet sauvignonat 11%. The vines ofChâteau Bellefont-Belcierare on average 35 years old. In 2006, theChâteau Bellefont-Belcieris classifiedGrand Cru Classé.
Wines from Château Bellefont Belcier
Wines of very high quality
Depending on the vintage, the estate always adjusts the harvest dates. The picking plan is also adapted according to the ripeness of the grapes. After meticulously sorting the grapes, they are transferred to concrete vats. All fermentations are carried out without the addition of sulfur. Maceration lasts approximately 30 days, after which the juice is transferred to barrels, at which point malolactic fermentation takes place. All the wines of theChâteau Bellefont-BelcierThey are aged in barrels for 15 to 18 months in the estate's cellar. Once aging is complete, the wines are bottled at the Château.
Two wines are produced on the property:
THEChâteau Bellefont-Belcier(Saint Emilion Grand Cru ClasséThe notes of this wine are blackcurrant, cherry, and white pepper. On the palate, the tannins are very fine and the texture is dense. The dominant grape variety is...merlotat 65%, followed bycabernet francat 20% and thecabernet sauvignonat 15%.
The Belcier Towers(Saint Emilion Grand Cru): the dominant grape variety is themerlotat 85%, followed bycabernet francat 10% and thecabernet sauvignon5% ABV. This wine has a beautiful, intense purple color. It offers aromas of blueberry, redcurrant, plum, and ripe blackcurrant. A perfectly balanced wine.
