Château Méric et Chante l'Oiseau

Identity

Château Méric et Chante l'Oiseau is a winegrowing estate managed by Benjamin and Aurélie Barron, representing the seventh generation of the family. The estate is located in La Brède, in the Gironde département.

History and Philosophy

The history of the Barron family estate began in the late 19th century. Since March 2018, Benjamin Barron and Aurélie Barron have been at the helm of the property. Prior to this, François and Sylvie Barron managed it until 2018. In 2021, the estate integrated 12 additional hectares from the vines of Bichon Cassignols.

Château Méric et Chante l'Oiseau has practised organic viticulture since 1964. This philosophy is reflected in the use of organic fertilisers, rock dust, sediments and sea kelp to nourish the soils. Vineyard treatments rely on mineral products and plant extracts, with the vines naturally sheltered from pollution by surrounding woodland.

The Appellations

The estate produces red and white wines under the AOC Graves appellation. It also offers a rosé classified as Vin de France.

Practical Information

Address: 20 avenue Georges Hébert, 33650 LA BREDE

Telephone: +33 5 56 78 45 05

Email: a.vignolles@9business.fr

Cellar door opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm. On weekends and public holidays, visits are strictly by appointment.

Visiting conditions: Advance booking by phone is recommended. Guided tours lasting approximately 90 minutes are available at 10:30 am and 3:00 pm. The estate can accommodate groups of 30 to 50 people. The tour and tasting of four wines is a paid service (€10). Tours are offered in French, English and Spanish. The estate has disabled access. Pets are not permitted.

Accepted payment methods: Payment cards, Bank cheques, Cash, PayPal, Bank transfer.

Services: The estate features an on-site shop and an online store. Delivery service is available. Château Méric et Chante l'Oiseau also offers gîte accommodation and a guinguette (open-air tavern). Motorhome stopovers are welcomed via the France Passion network.

Find Out More

Official estate website

The Vineyard (Terroir)

The Château Méric et Chante l'Oiseau vineyard spans a total surface area of 36 hectares. It is characterised by soils of deep gravel and clay.

The red grape varieties grown are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The red plantings comprise 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, covering 27.50 hectares. The average age of the red vines is 15 years, planted at a density of 5,500 vines per hectare.

The white grape varieties are Sémillon and Sauvignon. The white vineyard plantings are split between Sauvignon (33%), Sémillon (34%) and Muscadelle (33%), across an area of 3.5 hectares. The average age of the white vines is 25 years.

Flagship Cuvées

Château Méric et Chante l'Oiseau crafts several cuvées reflecting the diversity of its terroir and expertise. The red portfolio includes Château Méric rouge and Château Chante l'Oiseau rouge, alongside prestige bottlings such as Cuvée 7G - 7 Générations, Cuvée Eugénie and Cuvée 1802. For white wines, the estate produces Château Chante l'Oiseau blanc. A rosé is also crafted under the name Le Rosé de Méric VDF. Additionally, the estate offers Bag-in-Box formats for its red and white AOC Graves wines.

Vinification and Ageing

Alcoholic fermentation is carried out using indigenous yeasts naturally present on the grape skins. For clarification, the estate uses an earth filter composed of purified mineral earth and marine fossils. Total sulphite levels are kept below 5 g/hl for both red and white wines.

Ageing for the red wines lasts between 12 and 18 months, with 85% aged in vats and 15% in barrels. The white wines are 100% aged in vats for 12 months. For the prestige cuvées, ageing in French oak barrels can last from 3 to 24 months, with a four-way annual rotation of new, one-year-old, two-year-old and three-year-old oak. Underground concrete vats are also used for ageing specific cuvées.