Description
Château Bélair-Monange, named until 2007 Château Belair, is a Bordeaux vineyard from the appellation Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, ranked Premier grand cru classé B in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine. The winery is located in the Right Bank of France’s Bordeaux wine region in the commune of Saint-Émilion, in the department Gironde.
Next door neighbour of Château Ausone, Belair may also have been the property of the statesman and poet Decimus Magnus Ausonius (310-395 CE). The vineyard is thought to have been planted between 1730 and 1750.
In 1916 Belair was purchased by the owner of Ausone, Edouard Dubois-Challon, and the two estates have remained continually connected.
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.Internationally renowned, Établissements Jean-Pierre Moueix has become a hallmark for the top wines of Bordeaux. The company is the largest wine merchant on the Right Bank, distributing fine wines from Bordeaux and California worldwide.
The philosophy of the Ets. Jean-Pierre Moueix is simple: to produce exceptional wines, one must start with great fruit, possible only by cultivating impeccable vineyards and exercising the utmost respect towards nature.
Tasting Notes
The first substantial and reassuringly great Belair-Monange in many decades, the 2008 represents the epitome of elegance and minerality. Its deep ruby/purple color is accompanied by sweet red and black fruits intermixed with notes of spring flowers and crushed rocks, a layered mouthfeel, superb nobility and remarkable intensity offered in a finesse-filled format. Kudos to Edouard and Christian Moueix for their resurrection of this iconic 6.2 acre vineyard. [93+ Points, Robert Parker Jr. – May 2011, robertparker.com]
