Château Berrouet

Identity

Château Berrouet is a winegrowing estate located in the commune of Montagne, in the Gironde department. The estate's vineyards have been managed by Jeff Berrouet since 2002. The Berrouet family, including Jean-Claude, Jeff, and Olivier Berrouet, is actively involved in running the estate.

History and Philosophy

The Berrouet family's history in the Bordeaux vineyards began in the 1970s with Jean-Claude Berrouet, who acquired plots on the heights of Saint-Émilion. In 1979, the estate spanned 4.5 hectares. Château Samion, comprising 1.5 hectares, was added in 1982, bringing the total surface area to 6 hectares until 2003. Jeff Berrouet took over the management of the vineyards in 2002.

The estate's viticultural practices strike a balance between organic viticulture and integrated pest management (lutte raisonnée). The estate is committed to reducing its carbon footprint and uses treatments such as sulphur and copper, as well as biocontrol products. HVE certification has been achieved.

The Appellations

The estate produces wines across several appellations. These include parcels in Montagne Saint-Émilion, Lalande-de-Pomerol, and Saint-Émilion.

Winemaking and Ageing

Harvesting is 80% manual, complemented by machine harvesting. The grapes are sorted on a table and destemmed. Transfer to the vats is carried out using a peristaltic pump without crushing, in order to preserve the integrity of the berries. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel and concrete vats, the latter being favoured for better oxygen exchange. Indigenous yeasts are used, with inoculation only when necessary. Maceration is moderate, and malolactic fermentation takes place in vats. Extraction is gentle, using short pump-overs and wetting the cap through wide hatches, following an infusion-based approach.

Press wines from a vertical press are reintroduced into the blend. The blend is assembled prior to barrelling down. Ageing lasts approximately 12 months or more, split between oak barrels (with 15% to 20% new oak) and amphorae (around 10% since 2020 for certain cuvées). Rackings are carried out every five months. The wines are fined and filtered. Sulphur additions take place at harvest and during bottling.

Practical Information

Address: 2, route de Saint-Georges, 33570 Montagne

Telephone: +33 (0)5 57 74 59 80

Email: contact@vignoblesberrouet.com

Visits and tastings are available by appointment. Cellar door sales and mail orders are available.

Find Out More

Official estate website

The Vineyard (Terroir)

The vineyard covers a planted area of 28 hectares. The soils are predominantly clay-limestone in Montagne Saint-Émilion, and composed of fine clays and gravel in Lalande de Pomerol. The vines benefit from good natural drainage thanks to the slopes, while the high clay content fosters a steady water supply. The average age of the vines exceeds fifty years.

The grape varieties are dominated by Merlot, which accounts for 90%, complemented by 10% Cabernet Franc. The historical planting density is 1.50 metres x 1.10 metres, with narrower row spacing of 0.90 metres for new plantings. Pruning is carried out in mixed Guyot, with a shorter cane on younger vines. Soil management is tailored to its clay composition, including mechanical un-earthing (décavaillonnage) and shallow cultivation of the grass in one row out of three. Lateral shoot removal (échardage) is practised, but leaf-thinning is not carried out.

Flagship Cuvées

The estate offers several cuvées. Vieux Château Saint-André is produced in Montagne Saint-Émilion. Château Bonneau, with its first vintage in 2019, is also crafted in Montagne Saint-Émilion. Château Hyon la Fleur, first produced in the 2019 vintage, is a Saint-Émilion. Finally, Château Samion is a Lalande de Pomerol, made from 100% Merlot.

The wines are generally characterised by gentle extraction, aiming to preserve aromatic finesse and supple tannins.