Château Balestard la Tonnelle

Identity

Château Balestard La Tonnelle is a family-owned winegrowing estate located in Saint-Émilion, in the Gironde department. The Capdemourlin family heads the estate, represented by managing director Jacques Capdemourlin and his sons Thierry and François Capdemourlin, who embody the 12th and 13th generations of this winemaking lineage. Stéphane Capdemourlin serves as cellar master, while Daniel Duffon oversees the vineyard as vineyard manager.

History and philosophy

The vineyard of Château Balestard La Tonnelle has been documented since the 15th century, founded by François Balestard, a canon of the village church. The estate became part of the Capdemourlin family heritage in 1923, a family established in the region since 1647. Jacques Capdemourlin succeeded his father in 1974, having joined him in 1963. Château Balestard La Tonnelle has been classified as a Grand Cru Classé since 16 June 1955.

A distinctive feature of the estate is the inclusion on its label, since 1928, of an authentic medieval poem by François Villon praising the wine of Balestard. Jean Capdemourlin, a member of the family, was also instrumental in reviving the Jurade de Saint-Émilion in 1948, later contributing to the introduction of the first female Jurats in the 1990s.

Since 2021, the estate has been in transition towards organic farming, having previously achieved HVE 3 certification in 2018 and ISO 14001 in 2020. This approach entails the complete elimination of herbicides and insecticides, sexual confusion techniques, natural or sown grass cover, the preservation of hedgerows and biodiversity corridors, as well as controlled drainage.

Appellations

Château Balestard La Tonnelle produces wines under the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé appellation. The wine is a still red wine.

Practical information

Château Balestard La Tonnelle is located in Saint-Émilion (33330). The estate is open Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm and from 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm. Tours and tastings are available by appointment throughout the year and can be booked via the website. Bespoke workshops and event venues are also available. A panoramic terrace perched at 80 metres offers sweeping views over the village of Saint-Émilion. The estate is accessible to visitors with reduced mobility, provides parking facilities, and welcomes pets. Tours are offered in French, English, and Spanish. Payment by credit card (including American Express) and cash is accepted.

Address: Château Balestard La Tonnelle, 33330 Saint-Émilion

Telephone: +33 (0)5 57 74 62 06

Email: visites@vignoblescapdemourlin.com

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The vineyard spans a surface area of 9.5 hectares. It is situated on the heights of the village of Saint-Émilion, approximately 800 metres from the medieval town, at an altitude of 89 metres. The terroir is primarily composed of a limestone plateau, with clay-limestone soils, fine-textured limestone, and marine fossils.

The grape varieties are dominated by Merlot (75%), complemented by Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) and Cabernet Franc (10%). The average vine age is 34 years. The vines are pruned using single or double Guyot systems. Harvesting is carried out by hand.

Flagship cuvées

Château Balestard La Tonnelle produces the eponymous grand vin, Château Balestard La Tonnelle, and a second wine named Chanoine de Balestard.

Vinification and ageing

Vinification is conducted traditionally using gravity-fed methods and stainless-steel vats. Ageing takes place in French oak barrels sourced notably from the Tronçais forest, over a period of 15 months. Each year, half of the barrels are replaced with new oak, while the other half consists of one-wine barrels.