Château Berliquet

Identity

Château Berliquet, a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé, is located in the commune of Saint-Émilion. The estate is currently owned by the Chanel group. Nicolas Audebert serves as managing director, while Stéphane Bonnasse is the cellar master.

History and philosophy

Château Berliquet appears on historical maps, including those by Belleyme dating back to 1764 or 1768, bearing witness to a long winegrowing heritage. The de Sèze family, descendants of Louis XVI's defence counsel, were historical owners. The estate was subsequently acquired by the de Lesquen family in 1918, before being handed down to Patrick de Lesquen in 1996. In 2017, the Chanel group purchased Château Berliquet. The estate was classified Grand Cru Classé in 1986. Since 2024, the vineyard has been certified organic.

Appellations

Château Berliquet produces wines under the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation. The plots are located on the limestone plateau, an esteemed terroir within the Saint-Émilion area.

Flagship wines

The estate's principal cuvée is Château Berliquet, a red wine under the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation. The estate also produces a second wine, Les Ailes de Berliquet, created in 1993 under the Saint-Émilion appellation. The wines display a structured style with significant ageing potential. The current blend of the grand vin consists predominantly of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Franc contributes aromatic finesse, spicy notes, and a refined tannic structure. Merlot delivers smoothness and delicate aromas, reminiscent of peony, violet, and black fruit in its youth, evolving towards notes of truffle, tobacco, and leather with age.

Practical information

The address of Château Berliquet is: 1, Berliquet, 33330 Saint-Émilion, France. For enquiries, the estate can be contacted by telephone on +33 (0)5 57 55 23 45 or by email at contact@chateau-berliquet.com. Visits to the property are strictly by appointment for wine trade professionals only. The estate does not offer guest rooms or holiday rentals, nor does it provide on-site tastings or direct sales to the public.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The Château Berliquet vineyard covers an area of 7.5 hectares. It is situated on the Saint-Émilion limestone plateau, notably on the Magdeleine plateau, between Château Canon and Château Belair-Monange. The terroir consists of clay and limestone soils, with clays derived from various substrates, including Fronsadais molasse. The soil layout is diverse, with one third on the limestone plateau, one third on the mid-slope, and one third at the foot of the slope. The vineyard is planted predominantly with Merlot (65%), Cabernet Franc (34%), and a small proportion of Malbec (1%). Harvesting is carried out by hand, and vineyard management includes plot-by-plot soil cultivation to prevent compaction and aerate the soils, occasionally using animal traction. Canopy management (de-budding, shoot thinning, green harvesting) is carried out to adapt the vines to each vintage. Biodiversity is fostered through hedgerows and endemic plants, including the introduction of 600 shrubs across 10 different varieties.

Vinification and ageing

Vinification takes place in small-capacity vats (20 hectolitres), allowing each parcel of grapes to be vinified with precision, respecting its individual identity. Ageing is carried out in oak barrels in the château's underground cellars. The ageing period lasts between 12 and 16 months for the grand vin, with the proportion of new oak generally not exceeding 50%. Pumping over, racking, and the duration of ageing are adjusted according to the vintage for each wine. The second wine, Les Ailes de Berliquet, is aged in one-year-old barrels.