Château Saint Bonnet

Identity

Château Bonnet is located in Grézillac, in Gironde. It is currently managed by the Perrachon family, notably Pierre-Yves and Charlotte Perrachon. Emmanuel Lesné serves as technical director, while Amélie Porfilet is the oenologist and cellar master. The estate is also co-managed by partner Régis Porfilet.

History and Philosophy

Château Bonnet traces its origins back to 1630 with the construction of a manor house by Sieur Bonnet. The estate's history has been shaped by several families, including the Labretoigne du Mazel family, who took ownership of the château in 1876. In the early 20th century, Colonel Duluat de Saint-Léon owned the property.

The Perrachon family acquired Château Bonnet in 1973. Pierre Perrachon launched the first bottlings bearing the Perrachon name in 1950. His son, Pierre-Yves, joined the estate in 1988. Subsequently, Marie-Luce joined the team in 1996, followed by Charlotte in 2013 and Julien in 2018. The estate is currently undergoing conversion to Organic Farming certification.

Appellations

Château Bonnet produces wines under the Entre-deux-Mers and Bordeaux appellations. Certain cuvées also hail from the Chénas, Juliénas, Moulin-à-Vent, and Saint-Amour appellations.

Practical Information

Château Bonnet is located in Grézillac, 33420. The estate can be contacted by telephone on +33 (0)5 57 25 58 58 or by email at andrelurton@andrelurton.com. Tastings and direct sales are available at the property, as well as mail order sales. Guided estate tours are not available.

Find Out More

Official estate website

The Vineyard (Terroir)

The Château Bonnet vineyard spans 20 hectares, characterised by clay-limestone knolls. The Côte de Besset plot, with its 60-year-old vines, is established on a sandstone terroir. The Le Clos plot in Chénas covers 5 hectares with vines around sixty years old. In Juliénas, the vineyard extends over 3 hectares with 60-year-old vines.

The red grape varieties comprise Cabernet-Sauvignon (50%) and Merlot (50%). For white wines, plantings consist of Sauvignon or Sauvignon Blanc (45%), Sémillon (45%), and Muscadelle (10%). The surface area planted with red grape varieties is 122 hectares, and that with white varieties is 103 hectares. The average age of the vines is 29 years. Harvesting is carried out mechanically.

Flagship Cuvées

The estate offers a diverse range of red, white, and rosé wines. Among the red cuvées are Château Bonnet Vieilles Vignes, as well as wines under the Bordeaux appellation, notably Bordeaux Divinus, Bordeaux Merlot-Cabernet-Sauvignon, and Bordeaux Réserve. The estate also produces specific cuvées such as Le Petit Brennay, Expression du Terroir, Côte de Besset, Le Clos, Vin de Garde, Chat'au Bonnet, Les Rouchaux Vin de garde, and Confidence de l'échevin.

For white wines, Château Bonnet offers Entre-deux-Mers, Entre-Deux-Mers Château Grossombre, Entre-Deux-Mers fût de chêne, and Bordeaux Divinus. Rosé wines are also crafted under the Bordeaux appellation.

Vinification and Ageing

Winemaking practices vary according to the cuvée. Château Bonnet Vieilles Vignes in Juliénas is made from partially destemmed grapes (30%) and undergoes extended ageing in vats for fifteen months. The Château Bonnet Vieilles Vignes 2011 was vinified using semi-carbonic maceration and aged in vats. For Château Bonnet Expression du Terroir, a maceration of around twenty days is preferred, mostly with whole bunches. Château Bonnet Côte de Besset undergoes an 8-day whole-bunch maceration, as does Le Clos, which is vinified with whole clusters. Château Bonnet Vin de Garde undergoes a vatting period of around twenty days, followed by one year of barrel ageing. The Les Rouchaux Vin de garde cuvée benefits from a 14-day vinification before 12 months of barrel ageing. The Confidence de l'échevin cuvée is aged for one year in oak barrels.