Château Laplagnotte-Bellevue
Brand Description
Château Laplagnotte-Bellevue is located 1.86 miles (3 kilometers) to the northeast of the town of Saint-Émilion in the village of St. Christophe des Bardes. The history of this small estate dates back to the mid-19th century, but it was most recently purchased in 1990 by Madame Claude de Labarre while she was still manager and co-owner of Château Cheval Blanc. Since 1996 the estate has been meticulously managed by her son Arnaud and has been certified organic starting with the 2012 vintage.
Location of Vineyard
This 13-acre (5.4-hectare) vineyard is classified as Saint Émilion Grand Cru and is planted on a plateau of sand and clay over a chalky-clay subsoil, with traces of iron. The vines are an average age of 30 years and the planting density is 2,430 vines per acre (6,000 vines/ha). Average yields produce approximately 30,000 bottles.
Winemaking and Viticulture Philosophy
After harvesting, the fruit is manually sorted with a very strict selection in the cellar. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation take place in thermo-regulated concrete vats, and the wine is aged for 15 months in a mix of 30% new oak and the remainder in 1 to 2-year-old barrels. The wine is never heavy-handed, or over extracted, and and is a tremendous value for the appellation.
Winery Profile
Winemaker: Arnaud de Labarre
Total acreage under vine: 15
Founded: 1868
Production: 35000
Acclaim
— acclaim for 2019 Chateau Laplagnotte-Bellevue from La Revue du Vin de France, Apr 2022
— acclaim for 2019 Chateau Laplagnotte-Bellevue from James Suckling, Jun 2020
— acclaim for 2018 Chateau Laplagnotte-Bellevue from James Suckling, Jul 2021