{"title":"Chateau Belair Monange","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIn 2008, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/grandcruliquidassets.com\/collections\/moueix-family-collection\" title=\"Moueix Family Wines\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ethe Moueix family\u003c\/a\u003e merged Chateau Belair and Chateau Magdelaine, formally establishing \u003cstrong\u003eChateau Belair-Monange\u003c\/strong\u003e. While the estate is a newcomer on paper, Belair-Monange hosts one of Bordeaux’s longest-standing histories, dating back to the 6th century when Roman farmers cultivated the land. As part of the prestigious Moueix portfolio, Belair-Monange produces \u003cstrong\u003eone of St. Emilion’s best Merlot-driven wines \u003c\/strong\u003efrom a 26-hectare vineyard. Rich, opulent, and intense, Belair-Monange wines are a prize for any cellar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eChateau Belair-Monange: History Behind the Chateau\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eChateau Belair-Monange finds its \u003cstrong\u003eorigins between two estates: Chateau Belair and Chateau Magdelaine.\u003c\/strong\u003e The former became the home territory to which the two were merged, located on a limestone plateau in St. Emilion. Its roots date back to the 6th century, where archaeologists unearthed remains of a villa that suggest the presence of vines. Once Roman control ceased, a settlement was established during the Middle Ages, then purchased by the powerful Canolle de Lescours family and transformed into a wine estate. Over the next two centuries, Chateau Belair was just one of many St. Emilion estates under Lescours family control and was eventually \u003cstrong\u003eclassified as a leading St. Emilion wine in the 1850 \u003ci\u003eCocks et Ferret\u003c\/i\u003e guide.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAfter two centuries, Chateau Belair was sold to the owners of neighboring\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/grandcruliquidassets.com\/collections\/winery-chateau-ausone\" title=\"Chateau Ausone\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e Chateau Ausone\u003c\/a\u003e, where the estate gained\u003cstrong\u003e Premier Grand Cru Classè B status in the inaugural 1955 St. Emilion Classification.\u003c\/strong\u003e However, by 1975, the estate had become dilapidated due to the onset of phylloxera and the death of Ausone owner, Edouard Dubois-Challon. His wife, Helyette, took over with the help of winemaker Pascal Delbeck, though the pair left Chateau Belair as an afterthought. As such, the estate brought in little money, but its vineyard demanded high rent, forcing Delbeck to sell shares of the chateau to the Moueix family’s negociant business, \u003ci\u003eEstablissments Jean-Pierre Moueix\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThen, \u003cstrong\u003ein 2008, the remaining shares were sold to the Moueix family\u003c\/strong\u003e, and the estate was quickly renamed Chateau Belair-Monange. The name “Monange” roughly translates to “my angel” in English and was added to the title to celebrate Christian Moueix’s grandmother, Anne-Adele Monanage, who brought the Moueix family to St. Emilion in 1931.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eChateau Magdelaine\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eFour years after the name change, the \u003cstrong\u003eMoueix family acquired the neighboring estate, Chateau Magdelaine, merging it into Belair-Monange\u003c\/strong\u003e. The ensuing 2012 St. Emilion Classification became the first to recognize Chateau Belair-Monange, which holds \u003cstrong\u003ePremier Grand Cru Classè B status.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eChateau Belair-Monange St. Emilion: Terroir \u0026amp; Winemaking\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eChateau Belair-Monange is home to 26 hectares in Bordeaux’s St. Emilion appellation. The estate is \u003cstrong\u003elocated next to Chateaux Canon and Ausone and is planted to 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc\u003c\/strong\u003e. Its soil contains blue clay on the limestone plateau and a thin layer of sandy clay over a subsoil of thick clay on the southern slopes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe vineyard lies on one of the appellation’s highest elevations and primarily contains vines that average 40 years of age, while some were planted in the 1930s, and one block dates back as far as the 1900s. Once the Moueix family took ownership, the remaining vines of Malbec and Petit Verdot that survived the 20th century phylloxera outbreak were removed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eMany experts consider \u003cstrong\u003eChateau Belair-Monange’s terroir to be\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eamongst the greatest in St. Emilion,\u003c\/strong\u003e as the soils provide freshness, minerality, and unique elegance to the wine. Furthermore, the southern slopes produce rich and supple grapes, which are often used in the second and third wines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eEach harvest is picked by micro-terroir at ideal ripeness, followed by a sorting on a laser sorting table, destemming, and small-lot vinification. The fruit is then fermented in thermos-regulated vats, which Christian and Edouard Moueix, Eric Murisaco (Technical Director), and Laurent Descos (Cellar Master) taste on a regular basis. The final step in the process involves aging the wines in 50% new French oak barrels for 14 to 18 months.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe state-of-the-art winery was \u003cstrong\u003ebuilt by the Basel architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron\u003c\/strong\u003e, who both constructed the winery at \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/grandcruliquidassets.com\/collections\/winery-dominus-estate\" title=\"Dominus Estate\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDominus Estate\u003c\/a\u003e in 1997 and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/grandcruliquidassets.com\/collections\/winery-la-fleur-petrus\" title=\"Chateau La-Fleur Petrus\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eChateau La Fleur-Petrus\u003c\/a\u003e in 2002. The project hit the ground in December 2015, when initial drawings were drafted. Then, in March 2019, construction began, with the first vinification taking place in September 2022 and completion in April 2023.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"FR\" style=\"mso-ansi-language: FR;\"\u003eBelair-Monange: Wine Portfolio\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eChâteau Belair-Monange’s \u003cstrong\u003eflagship label is\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eMerlot-dominant\u003c\/strong\u003e with a small amount of Cabernet Franc. The wine has been celebrated for its signature \u003cstrong\u003eRight Bank, powerful profile, and silky elegance. \u003c\/strong\u003eBottles are known to last in the cellar for up to two decades, with top vintages speculated to age as far as three to four decades. The chateau gained its highest score from the Wine Advocate with the \u003cstrong\u003e2015 vintage, which Lisa Perrotti-Brown labeled, “a remarkably riveting wine that should not be missed.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"FR\" style=\"mso-ansi-language: FR;\"\u003eAnnonce de Belair Monange\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"FR\" style=\"mso-ansi-language: FR;\"\u003eAnnonce de Belair Monange is \u003cstrong\u003ethe second wine from Chateau Belair-Monange \u003c\/strong\u003eand was first produced in the 2014 vintage. Limited quantities are crafted for approachable drinking in its youth and undergoes the same meticulous vinification as the flagship label. Following the vineyard restructuring guided by the Moueix family's takeover, the new proprietors aimed to create a second label that could personify the terroir's minerality and concentration. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"FR\" style=\"mso-ansi-language: FR;\"\u003eHaut Roc Blanquant\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"FR\" style=\"mso-ansi-language: FR;\"\u003eHaut Roc Blanquant is the\u003cstrong\u003e third wine from Chateau Belair-Monange\u003c\/strong\u003e and was first crafted in the 2014 vintage. The wine is named after a historic plot on the vineyard and is selectively produced from fruit combining charm and suppleness. When blended and aged, the final cuvée features a fruity, charming, vibrant tone from a young age. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"FR\" style=\"mso-ansi-language: FR;\"\u003eSecure Your Bottle of Chateau Belair-Monange\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"FR\" style=\"mso-ansi-language: FR;\"\u003eA relatively young estate in name only, Chateau Belair-Monange combines the exquisite terroir of St. Emilion with the crafty winemaking talents of the Moueix family, quickly acquiring a cult following on the Right Bank. With bottles typically priced under $200, Belair-Monange represents one of Bordeaux's greatest values and is the perfect cellar addition for Merlot drinkers. Browse our selection of in-stock Belair-Monange wines today and secure a bottle for your cellar. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"2009-chateau-belair-monange-saint-emilion-bottle-750ml","title":"2009 Chateau Belair-Monange, Saint-Emilion, Bottle (750ml)","description":"VM96 The sophomore 2009 Belair-Monange has been variable from bottle to bottle so I was taken aback at the impressive performance here. It has a very opulent bouquet with plush red fruit, patisserie, candied orange peel, fig and dates. This is very open and expressive, very gourmand in style and though atypical, it is very seductive. The palate is almost viscous on the entry with plush red fruit, a touch of black pepper and oregano, slightly medicinal in style but very persistent. Blind, I thought it might be Tertre-Rôteboeuf but it turned out not to be. Still, this is just a superb showing. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting. (Drink between 2020-2045) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\nJA96 Medium intensity baked plum aromatics, enticing and open, laced with campfire, cinnamon, incense, pumice stone, salted cracker, fennel, saffron, blackberry and sage. Great quality, giving the limestone kick, tightrope walking across the palate, a brilliant wine, juicy and individual, leaning in to its character, with a joyful welcome. 50% new oak for ageing.","brand":"Belair Monange","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48592492167405,"sku":"BDX:BEL:MONA-0750-2009-F0L0C0","price":179.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/files\/BDXBELMONA-0750-2009-F0L0C0.jpg?v=1758061191"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0319\/8592\/6203\/collections\/Chateau_Belair_Monange.jpg?v=1776712543","url":"https:\/\/grandcruliquidassets.com\/collections\/chateau-belair-monange.oembed","provider":"Grand Cru Liquid Assets","version":"1.0","type":"link"}