Château Capet Guillier

Identity

Château Capet-Guillier is a winegrowing estate located in Saint-Hippolyte. It is owned by Antoine Moueix Propriétés, under the umbrella of the Advini group. Lucie Lauilhé serves as technical director, while Christophe Grenier is the vineyard and cellar manager. Stéphane Derenoncourt has acted as consultant oenologist since 2008.

History and philosophy

The estate's history dates back to the 14th century with the founding of the Seigneurie de Capet around 1300. François Royer is recorded as the first owner of the Maison de Capet in 1476. In 1763, Jean Taillade acquired the property, and his family managed the estate for eight generations. Construction of the current château building began in 1803. The present name, Capet-Guillier, came from the union of the Capet and Guillier names through Ernest Guillier, husband of Suzanne, great-granddaughter of Christophe Alain. The estate was acquired in 2009 by the Advini group and integrated into Maison Antoine Moueix.

Since its acquisition, major renovation and expansion work on the château and winery has been carried out, culminating in 2021. The estate's philosophy focuses on environmentally friendly viticultural practices. Organic conversion began with the 2020 vintage, with certification scheduled for the 2022 vintage. Biodynamic practices are also being introduced, notably with trials of preparations starting in 2021. The estate has also launched permaculture projects.

Appellations

The wines of Château Capet-Guillier are produced under the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation.

Signature wines

The estate produces two main cuvées. Château Capet-Guillier is the grand vin, sourced primarily from the clay hillside. Its blend consists of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. It is characterised by a fruity aromatic profile, a well-structured palate, and a lingering finish. Its ageing potential can reach ten to fifteen years, developing tertiary aromas such as truffle over time.

The second wine, Tour de Capet, is crafted from the sandier soils of the plain. The blend is predominantly Merlot-based, incorporating Malbec since the 2019 vintage. It is an approachable wine displaying good aromatic complexity.

Practical information

Château Capet-Guillier is located in Saint-Hippolyte, 33330. The estate offers on-site tours and tastings and is open to visitors year-round, including without prior booking. A reception room is available and group visits are welcomed. Spoken languages are English and French.

Telephone: +33 (0)5 57 55 37 90

Email: proprietes@amoueix.fr

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The vineyard of Château Capet-Guillier covers an area of 15.11 hectares. It is located on the southern slope of Saint-Émilion. The terroirs feature clay-limestone soils, Fronsadais molasse, and sandy-clay areas at the foot of the slope. The climate is temperate with an oceanic influence. The grape varieties are predominantly Merlot (85%), complemented by Malbec (10%) and Cabernet Franc (5%). The average vine age is 25 years, and planting density is 6,800 vines per hectare.

Viticultural practices include the elimination of herbicides and insecticides, mechanical weeding, under-vine soil cultivation, and natural grass cover between rows. The estate has been HVE 3 certified since 2017. An experimental permaculture project, named "parcelle Louise", was launched in 2021 with the planting of vines and aromatic herbs. Biodiversity initiatives, such as installing bat nesting boxes and nematode research, are also underway.

Vinification and ageing

Vinification at Château Capet-Guillier takes place in a modern cellar, opened in 2017, which allows for parcel-by-parcel and intra-parcel management. Harvesting is carried out by hand, with sorting on the vine after veraison and a second sorting upon arrival at the winery. For the Château Capet-Guillier cuvée, vatting takes place in wooden vats with extraction by punch-down (pigeage) and macerations lasting around four weeks. Pressing is gentle, using moving basket presses. Malolactic fermentation occurs in barrels. Ageing then continues for 12 to 16 months in French oak barrels with extra-fine grain, comprising 50% new oak and 50% one-wine barrels.

For Tour de Capet, vatting is carried out in small concrete vats with punch-down extraction. Malolactic fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled vats. Ageing is conducted in French oak barrels that have previously seen one or two vintages, using one-third new oak, one-third one-wine barrels, and one-third two-wine barrels.