Château Bellefont-Belcier Winery
"XXX"
Peter Kwok
The Saint-Émillion Château Bellefont-Belcier was classified as a Grand Cru Classé in 2006. The name "Bellefont" (short for "Belle Fontaine") refers to the numerous springs in the surrounding area. The vineyards and estate were established at the end of the 18th century by Count Louis-François de Belcier. Around 100 years later, the château - already one of the leading Bordeaux wine estates at the time - passed into the ownership of the Faure family.
Today, Bellefont-Belcier belongs to Peter Kwok's company, which owns a further six châteaux in the Rive Droite, including Tour Saint Christophe, Haut-Brisson and La Patache. The total production amounts to 315,000 bottles per year. The aim is top quality everywhere, and all the vineyards are and have been converted to organic farming.
Bellefont-Belcier is located in the commune of Saint-Laurent-des-Combes and has 13.5 hectares of contiguous vineyards, the 28 plots of which are blessed with different limestone-clay compositions. Typically for Saint-Émillion, Merlot predominates (72%). This is followed by Cabernet Franc (17%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (11%). The average age of the vines is 35 years.
After the harvest, the carefully selected grapes ferment in concrete tanks without the addition of sulphur. Mash fermentation lasts around 30 days and extraction is carried out gently by pigeage in the tank and bâtonnage in the barrel. After extraction, the marc is pressed and the marc wine is added again. Ageing in barrels lasts 15 to 18 months, with up to 40% new wood being used depending on the vintage. According to the Château, the result is a "deep garnet and purple red colour; a sexy and floral character; a remarkable freshness accompanied by rich aromas of black fruits; polished tannins that complement ripe red fruits and liquorice; a very long-lasting minerality on the finish."
© Photos: Château Bellefont-Belcier
