Château Pey Labrie

Identity

Château Pey Labrie, also known as Château Moulin Pey-Labrie, is a winegrowing estate located in the commune of Fronsac. It is currently owned by Éric and Sylvie Vareille, who took over the reins in 1988.

History and philosophy

The history of Château Pey Labrie dates back centuries, with its first documented mention in 1741. The estate itself is built around a former 12th-century mill, and its name—"Pey" meaning "hilltop" and "Labrie" for the "lieu-dit"—reflects its privileged location. In 1807, Alexandre Souffrain already cited Pey Labrie among the region's renowned vineyards.

The estate was acquired by Marcel and Madame Vareille in 1961. In 1988, Éric and Sylvie Vareille took over the property, which included the acquisition of Château Caillou the same year. The vineyard is committed to environmentally friendly practices, holding Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE) Level 3.4 certification and having undergone organic conversion. The estate also holds the "Vignobles et Chais en Bordelais" label.

The appellations

Château Pey Labrie produces wines under the Canon-Fronsac appellation for its main cuvée, as well as wines under the Fronsac appellation for other cuvées such as Château Moulin and Château Haut-Lariveau.

Practical information

The estate welcomes visitors for tours and tastings. Guests can visit the vineyards and the cellars, followed by a tasting of the various cuvées. Cellar-door sales are also available. Visiting hours are Monday to Saturday, from 10:00 to 12:00 and from 15:00 to 19:00. Guided tours in English are available.

Address: Moulin Pey-Labrie, 33126 Fronsac

Telephone: +33 5 57 51 14 37

Email: moulinpeylabrie@wanadoo.fr

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The Château Pey Labrie vineyard covers 9 hectares for Château Pey Labrie and 4 hectares for Château Caillou, totalling 13 hectares. The vines, with an average age of 30 years, are situated in the commune of Fronsac, on one of the appellation's highest hillsides, along the ridge road. The soils consist of molasses resting on subsoils of calcaire à astéries (starfish limestone) or clay-limestone depending on the parcels, with clay-gravel areas for Château Haut-Lariveau.

The grape varieties are dominated by Merlot (between 80% and 85%), complemented by Cabernet Franc (10% to 15%) and, for certain cuvées, Malbec.

Flagship cuvées

The estate produces several still red wine cuvées. The flagship cuvée is Pey Labrie Cœur Canon, crafted from a selection of the finest plots. Descriptions of past vintages evoke a brilliant ruby or intense garnet hue, with expressive bouquets of ripe fruit, red berries (redcurrant), notes of caramel, spices (cinnamon, pepper), and vanilla and oaky nuances. On the palate, these wines are described as supple, fruity, and well-balanced, with ripe, fine, and tight tannins—sometimes rather light or silky—and fine freshness on the finish. Ageing for this cuvée takes place in oak barriques.

The estate also produces the Nectar cuvée as well as Château Moulin Pey-Labrie. Château Moulin, sometimes described as a 100% Merlot, reveals intense aromas of ripe dark fruit with toasted touches, a round and generous attack, a solid structure, and a long, spicy finish. The Château Haut-Lariveau cuvée is also crafted predominantly from Merlot.

Vinification and ageing

Vinification at Château Pey Labrie is conducted with meticulous care, notably with parcel-by-parcel vinification. Ageing takes place either in barriques, as for the Cœur Canon cuvée, in oak barrels for Château Moulin Pey-Labrie, or in vats for other cuvées. For the Nectar cuvée, eighteen months of barrel ageing has been documented.