Château Bélair‑Monange (French pronunciation: [ʃato belɛʁ mɔnɑ̃ʒ]) is a Bordeaux wine estate situated in the Saint‑Émilion appellation of the Right Bank of the Bordeaux wine region, France. The property is classified as a Premier Grand Cru Classé B in the Classification of Saint‑Émilion wines.
History
The estate, originally known as Château Belair, traces its vineyard origins to the mid‑18th century, with plantings dated between 1730 and 1750 under the ownership of the Canolle family, descendants of the 14th‑century landowner Robert de Knollys. After changing hands during the French Revolution, the estate was acquired in 1916 by Edouard Dubois‑Challon, who also owned the neighboring Château Ausone. Following Edouard’s death, the property was managed by his widow Helyett Dubois‑Challon and later by Pascal Delbeck.
In 2003 Delbeck inherited the estate and sold a 30 % share to the négociant house Établissements Jean‑Pierre Moueix. Financial pressures led to the sale of the remaining share to Moueix in 2008. To honor Anne‑Adèle Monange, wife of Jean Moueix, the estate’s name was changed to Château Bélair‑Monange, with wines produced from the 2007 vintage onward bearing the new designation.
In 2012 the Saint‑Émilion classification omitted the nearby Château Magdelaine from the Premier Grand Cru Classé B tier. Moueix subsequently merged Château Magdelaine into Château Bélair‑Monange, retaining the Bélair‑Monange name for the combined property.
Vineyard and Production
The combined estate encompasses approximately 23.5 ha of vineyards. The Bélair‑Monange block (about 12.5 ha) is planted primarily with Merlot (≈ 80 %) and Cabernet Franc (≈ 20 %). The former Magdelaine block (≈ 11 ha) is planted with roughly 90 % Merlot and 10 % Cabernet Franc. The estate produces a grand vin, Château Bélair‑Monange, and a second wine named Annonce, introduced with the 2014 vintage.
Ownership and Management
Château Bélair‑Monange is owned and operated by Établissements Jean‑Pierre Moueix, a leading Bordeaux négociant and winery group. The estate is managed under the Moueix family’s wine‑making expertise, continuing the tradition of high‑quality Right‑Bank Bordeaux production.
References
- Wikipedia entry on Château Bélair‑Monange, retrieved via Jina AI extraction (2024).