At the heart of our initiative to revive Bordeaux's forgotten grape varieties, Béquignol Gris holds a special place. Not so much as an endemic variety in its own right, but rather as a delicate mutation of Béquignol Noir. It was only in 1953 that this atypical variety was catalogued and introduced to the Vassal ampelographic collection, following discoveries made in Capbreton, in the Landes, and in Ayguemorte-les-Graves, in the Gironde. Its presence here, in these Bordeaux lands, is a precious testament to lost diversity, highlighting the importance of Bordeaux's bygone grape varieties.

Béquignol Gris, like many Bordeaux grape varieties bearing witness to a rich history, displays interesting characteristics. Historically, inventories by Dupré de Saint-Maur mentioned varieties such as "Chaussé gris" in Bazas, which might suggest a distant lineage or the presence of light-skinned grape varieties in the region even before its formal identification. This late discovery highlights the work of ampelographers who, over the centuries, have worked to document the varietal wealth of our vineyards. To find out more about the different expressions of this ancestral variety, we invite you to discover the Béquignol Blanc grape variety. You can also learn more about the Sauvignonasse grape variety.

Ampelographic profile

Characteristic	Description
Budburst	Early, a few days after Chasselas.
Ripening	Late (second period).
Vigour	Medium to low.
Growth habit	Semi-erect.
Susceptibility to downy mildew	Fairly resistant (comparatively to others).
Susceptibility to powdery mildew	Moderately susceptible.
Susceptibility to botrytis	Low to moderate.
Productivity	Low, requires long pruning.
Aromatic profile	Potential to produce well-balanced wines.
Winemaking potential	Interesting for wines expressing a certain freshness.

At Château Cazebonne, our commitment to bringing these forgotten grape varieties back to life, such as Béquignol Gris, is an answer to the vineyard's standardisation. We firmly believe that the aromatic richness and typicity of Bordeaux wines also lie in this ancestral diversity. This long-term project, a true return to our roots, is made possible thanks to the invaluable support of the many wine lovers who have embraced our wines and share our passion for rediscovering Bordeaux's viticultural heritage. Other little-known varieties, such as the Len de l'El grape variety, the Meslier Saint François grape variety, or the Ondenc grape variety, also enrich our collection. You can also explore the Crouchen grape variety. To deepen your knowledge, Jean-Baptiste Duquesne published the book "Bordeaux, une histoire de cépages", of which you can easily receive the digital version by clicking here or test your knowledge of Bordeaux varieties with our wine quizzes. You can also discover the fruition of this approach and taste our cuvées crafted from these revived varieties by visiting our online boutique.