Château Bélair-Monange 2016

A Tremendously Nuanced, Perfectly Balanced Saint-Émilion

The winemaking history of Château Bélair-Monange can be traced back to well before the French Revolution. In 2008, the estate was acquired by the Moueix family, who carried out tremendous improvements in quality by drastically reducing the yield of the vineyards and making major investments to modernise the winery. The property enjoys the classification of Premier Grand Cru Classé of Saint-Émilion, and includes 23.5 hectares (58 acres) planted with vines (around 14 hectares under production). Out of these, roughly 90% is planted to Merlot and 10% to Cabernet Franc. Reflected in each glass of Château Bélair-Monange are two distinct but complementary terroirs: a limestone plateau and blue clay soils on limestone slopes. This combination translates to greater complexity in the finished wines. After a manual harvest, which includes a primary manual sorting in the vineyard and a secondary optical sorting at the winery, the grapes are vinified in thermoregulated stainless steel and concrete vats, with the maceration and extraction carried out in the gentlest manner possible. The wine is matured in French oak barrels (around 50% new) for a period of 16 to 18 months.

The Château Bélair-Monange 2016 blends 92% Merlot with 8% Cabernet Franc, showing off a medium to deep garnet purple colour in the glass. On the nose, an initially tightly wound bouquet gradually unfurls bright red and black fruit flavours (red cherries, blackberries and plum), along with hints of lavender, cinnamon, cedar and tobacco. On the palate, this Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé is medium-bodied with grippy tannins framing tons of vibrant red and black fruit flavours, which linger long into the finish. A gorgeous Saint-Émilion with a great future ahead of it, to drink 2025-2055.