Château Beychevelle

History

Château Beychevelle, located in the Saint-Julien appellation of Bordeaux, has a rich and storied history dating back to the 16th century. In 1565, Bishop François de Foix Candale commissioned the building of the grand château at Beychevelle, which was later inherited by the powerful Duke of Épernon, Jean-Louis Nogaret de la Valette. This noble past is reflected in the estate's name, "Beychevelle," meaning "lower the sails" in French, as passing ships would lower their sails in respect to the duke.

Over the centuries, the estate changed hands several times. In 1757, the Marquis François-Etienne de Brassier renovated and rebuilt the estate, constructing the Beychevelle port. In 1825, Pierre-François Guestier, a Bordeaux wine merchant and mayor of Saint-Julien, purchased the estate and restored its reputation. The Heine family, who owned the estate from 1875 to the early 20th century, further enhanced its reputation by replanting the vineyard after the phylloxera epidemic.

In 1970, Aymar Achille-Fould acquired the estate, and following his death in 1986, the GMF group, partnered with Suntory, became the majority shareholder. Today, Château Beychevelle is part of the Grands Millesimes de France group, owned by Castel and Suntory, continuing its legacy as a prestigious Fourth Classified Growth of 1855[1][4][5].

Terroir

Château Beychevelle is situated in the Saint-Julien appellation of the Médoc region, near the Gironde estuary. The vineyard's terroir is characterized by its proximity to the Gironde, which moderates the climate, protecting the vines from harsh winter temperatures and scorching summer heat. The vineyard is located on two plateaus of deep Garonne gravel from the Gunzian period, which provides ideal conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon. These gravelly soils offer excellent water drainage and capture the warmth of the sun during the day, keeping the vine roots warm at night. This unique microclimate allows the vines to flourish and the grapes to ripen perfectly, resulting in well-balanced and generous deep red wines with a silky texture[1][2][4]. The terroir's influence is further enhanced by the winemaker's careful selection of grape varieties and manual harvests, ensuring that each terroir expresses its full complexity and depth[1][2].