Château Brondelle

Identity

Château Brondelle is a winegrowing estate located in the commune of Langon. It is owned by Vignobles Belloc, managed by Muriel Belloc and Jean-Noël Belloc. Muriel Belloc oversees administration and communications, while Jean-Noël Belloc manages the estate's technical operations and sales.

History and Philosophy

The Brondelle estate has ancient roots, recorded as early as 1893 in the Feret guide for its production of red wine and sweet white wine. The Dupuy family owned it in 1846. A cellar dedicated to wine ageing was built in 1878. In 1927, Louis Turtaut acquired the estate. In 1968, D. and R. Belloc planted an 8-hectare vineyard across the property. Jean-Noël Belloc returned to the family estate in 1988. Muriel Belloc has managed Château Ludeman La Côte since 1990.

Over the years, Vignobles Belloc expanded their holdings with the acquisition of Château Bras d'Argent in 1998 and Château Fontaine Sauternes in 2008. That same year, a 20-hectare vineyard was established in Pessac-Léognan. In 2012, Château d'Alix brought in its first harvest. In 2013, Muriel and Jean-Noël Belloc merged the vineyards of Château Brondelle and Château Ludeman La Côte.

The estate is dedicated to environmental stewardship, marked by the installation of a rainwater harvesting tank in 2020 and the achievement of HVE3 certification in 2019. Vineyard management follows sustainable viticulture (lutte raisonnée) practices.

Appellations

Château Brondelle produces wines across several appellations, primarily Graves Rouge and Graves Blanc. The estate also crafts wines in Sauternes under Château Fontaine Sauternes, and in Bordeaux Supérieur under Château Bras d'Argent.

Practical Information

Address: Château Brondelle, 33210 Langon

Telephone: +33 5 56 62 38 14

Email: contact@chateaubrondelle.fr

Visits and tastings are available by appointment, Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. On Saturday and Sunday, visits are also by appointment.

Find Out More

Official estate website

The Vineyard (Terroir)

Château Brondelle covers 40 hectares. The soils are clay-gravel, specifically clay-gravel ridges (croupes) for the Château Brondelle Grand Vin Blanc cuvée. The vines average around 30 years of age. Vineyard work includes winter pruning, tying-down, and bending, followed by de-budding and canopy lifting in spring and summer. Practices such as grass mowing, tillage, and trimming are also implemented under a sustainable approach to minimise chemical inputs.

The grape varieties planted for red wines comprise Cabernet-Sauvignon (55%), Merlot (45%), and Petit Verdot (5%). For the white wines, the vineyard is planted with 60% Sauvignon and 40% Sémillon. Château Fontaine Sauternes is planted with 95% Sémillon and 5% Sauvignon.

Flagship Cuvées

Château Brondelle offers a varied range of wines. Among the white wines, “Château Brondelle Grand Vin Blanc” is crafted from Sauvignon and Sémillon, designed to age for 5 to 10 years. The “Château Brondelle Classic Blanc” and “Anaïs” cuvées are also part of the white wine selection.

For red wines, the estate offers “Château Brondelle Grand Vin Rouge” and “Château Brondelle Classic Rouge”. “Le Rosé de Brondelle” is its rosé wine.

In sweet wines, “Château Fontaine Grande Réserve Sauternes - Vin d'Or” is a long-ageing Sauternes, with an estimated ageing potential of over 30 years.

Other cuvées, such as “Château Ludeman la Côte Rouge” and “Château Ludeman la Côte Blanc”, as well as “Château Andréa Rouge” and “Château Andréa Blanc”, are also produced.

Vinification and Ageing

Harvesting is carried out both by hand and mechanically. For Château Brondelle Grand Vin Blanc, after swift transport of the grapes to the cellar, skin contact maceration is performed. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in barrels, a portion of which is new oak, followed by ageing on fine lees with regular stirring (bâtonnage) for six months.

Ageing can take place in oak barrels, concrete vats, or stainless-steel tanks for a duration of 12 to 15 months. Moderate use of sulphur is maintained for its antioxidant and antiseptic properties.