| Region of Production: | Saint-Émilion AOP |
| Winery Location: | Saint-Émilion |
| Year Established: | 1847 |
| Classification: | Premier Grand Cru Classé B |
Vineyard Holdings
7 ha
- 81% Merlot
- 16% Cabernet Franc
- 3% Cabernet Sauvignon
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages
- Château Beauséjour, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru: Grand vin. 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc (2015 vintage). Fermented in open-top vats. Aged 18 months in 75% new French oak barrels.
- Croix de Beauséjour, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru: Second wine. Only vinified in select vintages.
Average Total Production
- 36,000 bottles
Summary
The land occupied by Château Beauséjour (also known as Château Beauséjour Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse), as well as neighboring Canon, was under the stewardship of the monks at the Abbey of Saint Martin during the Middle Ages. The property was purchased by the Gères family in the 18th century, after it left monastic hands. Jacques de Carle, a member of the family, called the estate Beauséjour, meaning “beautiful stay” or “sojourn.” After multiple changes in ownership in the early to mid-1800s, the Duffau-Lagarrosse family bought Beauséjour in 1847. Two decades later, in 1869, it separated from the larger estate, now Beau-Séjour Bécot. Jean Duffau-Lagarrosse runs Beauséjour today, the ninth generation in his family to do so. Despite a critically acclaimed 1990 vintage, Beauséjour’s wines have been considered variable in recent decades. Nicolas Thienpont, Winemaking Director at Pavie Macquin, was hired in 2009 to help reestablish the estate, while Michel Rolland and Stéphane Derenoncourt consult.
Style & Vinification Techniques
Beauséjour’s vineyard is situated on the western edge of Saint-Émilion’s limestone plateau. Thienpont has focused on reducing yields and instated optical sorting and whole berry fermentations in open-top vats. The wine ages for 18 months in 75% new French oak barrels, where it also undergoes malolactic fermentation.
Producer Website: Château Beauséjour