Haut-Tellas

Identity

Château Haut-Tellas is located in the commune of Saint-Loubès, in the Gironde. The estate is managed by Neil Becede, who is also the winemaker.

History and philosophy

The vineyard of Château Haut-Tellas adopted sustainable farming practices as early as 1979. The estate initiated its organic conversion process in 2016, achieving organic farming certification (Agriculture Biologique) in 2022.

The appellations

Château Haut-Tellas crafts wines under the Bordeaux Supérieur, Côtes de Bordeaux and Entre-Deux-Mers appellations, as well as Crémant de Bordeaux.

Practical information

Château Haut-Tellas is located at 39, chemin de Bernes, 33450 Saint-Loubès. You can contact the estate by phone at +33 (0)6 32 75 07 99 or by email at contact@haut-tellas.fr. Visits and tastings at the property are available by appointment. Direct cellar-door sales are also available.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The vineyard covers around ten hectares, 2.5 hectares of which are planted with white grape varieties. The vines are planted on clay-limestone soils with gravel deposits, as well as on clay-loam plots. They benefit predominantly from southern and south-western exposures. The red grape varieties consist of Merlot (65%), Cabernet Sauvignon (25%) and Cabernet Franc (10%), complemented by Malbec. Vineyard management includes tillage, selective pruning, manual de-suckering and plot-by-plot vinification.

Flagship cuvées

Château Haut-Tellas offers a range of wines including red cuvées, still whites and sparkling wines. Red cuvées include Château Haut-Tellas Bordeaux Supérieur Le Fruit and Château Haut-Tellas Bordeaux Supérieur Fûts de Chêne, alongside Château Haut-Tellas - Côtes de Bordeaux Fûts de Chêne Neufs. A sulphur-free cuvée, Château Haut-Tellas Bordeaux Supérieur Sans Soufre, is also crafted. For the whites, the estate produces Entre-Deux-Mers, including one cuvée aged in sandstone eggs (Cuvée Ovoïd œufs en grés) and another in oak barrels (Cuvée Fûts de Chêne). The estate also produces the Crémant Brut Rosé du Château Haut-Tellas, a still rosé titled Rosé du Haut-Tellas VSIG, and a carbonated grape juice called Les Bullettes du Haut-Tellas.

Vinification and ageing

The wines of Château Haut-Tellas are vinified parcel by parcel. Ageing for the cellar-worthy cuvées takes place in oak barrels for 12 to 14 months. The Côtes de Bordeaux wines are aged in new oak barrels, while the Bordeaux Supérieur wines are aged in one- and two-wine barrels. Lighter cuvées are aged in vats or sandstone.