Château Bellevue de Tayac

Identity

Château Bellevue de Tayac is a winegrowing estate currently managed by Vincent Fabre. In the past, Jean-Luc Thunevin was its owner in 2006 and winemaker, while Hubert de Boüard has also been mentioned as a director. The estate is based in Cissac-Médoc.

History and Philosophy

The estate was acquired in 1964 by Gabriel Fabre. The history of Domaines Fabre includes vineyards with plots recorded as early as 1876. As part of its farming practices, the estate introduced conservation grazing in 2020 with a flock of Landes ewes. Château Bellevue de Tayac holds HVE 3 certification and cultivates its vines sustainably. A cuvée crafted from disease-resistant grape varieties, Carte Blanche, is currently in its third year of organic conversion.

Appellations

Château Bellevue de Tayac produces wines under the Margaux appellation.

Winemaking and Ageing

Vinification is traditional, adopting a parcel-by-parcel approach. It involves the use of stainless steel vats and micro-oxygenation. The wines are aged in oak barrels for 14 months, with 60% new oak. Cask ageing is also specified for the Château Bellevue de Tayac cuvée.

Practical Information

The estate is located at 1 Lamothe, in Cissac-Médoc, postcode 33460. Another address lists Tayac, Route de Pauillac, 33460 Soussans. The telephone number is +33 (0)5 56 59 58 16 and the email address is info@domaines-fabre.com. The tasting and sales cellar is open from June to September, Tuesday to Saturday, from 2:30 pm to 7:30 pm.

Tours and tastings are available by appointment only. The estate also offers wine tourism activities, such as Wine Gaming, an immersive adventure. It is open during the tourist season (closed in winter), offering complimentary tours and tastings, and is open every weekend by appointment. Cellar-door sales are available.

Find Out More

Official estate website

The Vineyard (Terroir)

The vineyard of Château Bellevue de Tayac covers an area of around 4.5 hectares. The soils consist of Garonne gravel and clays. The planting density is 8,000 vines per hectare, with an average vine age of 20 years. The average yield is 45 hectolitres per hectare. The estate is located in Soussans.

The grape varieties at Château Bellevue de Tayac comprise 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Petit Verdot for the main red wines. Other sources mention a varietal mix of 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet franc. The harvest is carried out by hand.

Signature Cuvées

The estate's flagship wine is Château Bellevue de Tayac, a still red wine. Annual production for this cuvée is estimated at between 20,000 and 30,000 bottles, with a production of 9,000 bottles also recorded for a specific vintage. The estate also offers other cuvées such as "Fabre on the Rocks", a 100% Malbec, "Wild Fabre", an unsulphured 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, "Clan Fabre", a 100% Merlot, and "Funambull", a sparkling red wine made from 100% Merlot. Two white wines are also produced: "Carte Blanche", made from disease-resistant varieties, and "Pic Vert", a 100% white Merlot. The Vieilles Vignes de Lamothe-Cissac cuvée is crafted from vines over 70 years old, predominantly planted in the 1950s. An Héritage de Lamothe - 1876 cuvée has also been produced starting from the 2010 vintage.