Château Beychevelle

Described by wine critic Jancis Robinson as “intensely seductive”, the wines from Château Beychevelle enjoy a lauded reputation. The sprawling estate covers 250 hectares, with 90 hectares planted with vines and the rest forest and pastureland. Its view of the Gironde Estuary from the steps of the château allegedly gave rise to its name in the 17th century, as sailing ships would lower their sails (baisse voile in French or bacha velo in Gascon) in deference to its owner, the Duc d`Eperon, the Admiral of France. More importantly, the Gironde provides the regulating effect that the best vineyards of the region enjoy, and Beychevelle’s largest vineyard is situated similarly, in both aspect and soils, to those found at Château Latour. The estate makes three wines, the Grand Vin, its second wine Amiral de Beychevelle and a Haut-Médoc, Les Brulières de Beychevelle.