Chateau Belair-Monange Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe (B) 2012

Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

1° Grand Cru Classé

23.5 hectares (58 acres)

Asteriated limestone on the plateau 
Blue clay on limestone in the slopes

90% Merlot - 10% Cabernet Franc

25 years

«Culture raisonnée» Soil tilling (4 ways)

Vine growth management adapted to the climatic conditions

Manual harvest
Double sorting: optical and manual

In thermo-regulated concrete and stainless-steel vats

Gentle, controlled maceration and extraction

16-18 months in French oak barrels

(50% new)

90% Merlot - 10% Cabernet Franc

Château Bélair-Monange traces its origins back to Roman times. Situated at the highest point of Saint-Émilion’s famed limestone plateau, it has long been considered one of the region’s very best crus. By 1850 it was ranked by Cocks & Feret as the leading wine of Saint-Émilion, a position it held well into the twentieth century.
Établissements Jean-Pierre Moueix purchased the iconic Château in 2008 and immediately undertook extensive renovations of the vineyard, winery, underground quarries, and château in order to restore the cru to its rightful historic status.
In 2012, Château Magdelaine, a contiguous Premier Grand Cru Classé acquired by Jean-Pierre Moueix in 1952, was merged into Château Bélair-Monange. The name ‘Monange,’ in addition to its literal translation, ‘my angel,’ was the maiden name of Jean-Pierre Moueix’s mother, Anne-Adèle, the first Moueix woman to call Saint-Émilion her home.
Château Bélair-Monange combines the terroirs of the most privileged sites of Saint-Émilion. The limestone from the central plateau parcels offers freshness, minerality, and delicate, lingering aromatics, while the dense, blue clay of the slopes provides intensity, length, and a unique elegance to the wine.

2012 was a vintage of contrasts, ultimately producing some wonderful wines. The alternating mild and exceptionally cold winter months gave way to unstable spring weather. Wet weather continued through June, so careful vineyard management was essential to allow consistent ripening.
Summer began in earnest in mid-July. Two hot, very dry months followed, punctuated by cool nights that provided balance and freshness to the wines. A few showers in early September allowed the grapes to reach full maturity. Dry and sunny weather followed through harvest, ensuring that the grapes were harvested in optimal condition from October 6th to 11th.