Since the end of the 19th century, a heart link links this Bordeaux wine estate to Reunion !
Here, we are almost in town. We are a green lung. The meaning of my work, is to preserve all that. We do not use synthetic products or weedkillers. We host cultural activities, among others one show per month in winter, concert or theater, coupled with a tasting. I started out thinking that the place had to live, j’ai donc mêlé vin et culture » expliquait en 2017 au magazine Le Point Stella de Sigoyer-Puel, winemaker operator of the Château Bardins estate. The history of Les Vendanges cellars has its roots in this wine property, at the gates of Bordeaux, in AOC Pessac-Léognan. Chateau Bardins, c’est 24 hectares de pleine nature traversée par l’Eau Blanche, charming little tributary of the Garonne. Of the forest, marshes and, on the first well-exposed slopes of Bouscaut, some ten hectares of vineyard reign supreme, mostly planted with red grape varieties (merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc). With a strong annual variation according to the vagaries of the weather, la production annuelle moyenne est de 380 hectolitres de vins rouges en AOC Pessac-Léognan & Bass in a nice bass style, who seduce by their bouquet, structure and finesse. Multiple medalists, they are velvety wines with a good length in the mouth. Et de 10 hectolitres en AOC Pessac-Léognan blanc sec (assemblage de 33 % Sauvignon ; 33 % Sémillon ; 33 % Muscadelle) : a wine fermented in barrels and aged on lees, with a delicate nose of pear and white flowers, in the mouth freshness, roundness and persistence, perfect with grilled fish with vanilla for example.
Transition to organic
The link between Château Bardins and Reunion was forged at the end of the nineteenth century. Né en 1870, Camille de Sigoyer had left the island to study law in Bordeaux. He became an insurer there and married Marie Vincent, the castle girl. Three generations later, the family is more than ever loyal to the estate, the integrity of which it has preserved and perpetuated the tradition of wine. Under the direction of Stella de Sigoyer-Puel, the operation has been characterized for several years by a marked commitment to the environment. Return to tillage rather than using herbicides (bannis depuis 2009), continue exclusively manual harvesting, apply sulfur, copper and herbal tea to protect the vines, are his agronomic choices.
Stella de Sigoyer-Puel met en œuvre un système de management environnemental qui lui vaut en 2012 d’être certifié ISO 14001 et en 2017 déclaré « Exploitation de Haute Valeur Environnementale » niveau 3, the highest level of environmental certification for farms in France. In 2016, le domaine de Château Bardins s’est converti à l’agriculture biologique et le millésime 2019 est le premier certifié bio : Le Souffle de Bardins-Graves red and Pessac-Léognan white are currently available., the estate opens its doors to shows coupled with tastings. If you are passing through Bordeaux, it is always possible to make an appointment to discover the places.
You can also follow the daily life of the Château on Pascale Larroche's blog which offers captivating Tasting Workshops.. Finally, Of course, all of the estate's wines (Château Bardins rouge en millésime 2015, 2016 et 2017, also in magnum and half-bottle, Château Bardins blanc 2019, Cuvée Premium Les Helloties 2015 rouge et Le Souffle de Bardins 2019) can be found in the eight Les Vendanges cellars.
For further
In the meeting
• Les Vendanges cellars :
https://www.lesvendanges.com
• Kris Sousa “Les Nenettes du Vin” tasting workshops :
• Danièle Rénard's tasting workshops “La Dégustation Sans Modération”:
A Bordeaux
• All the information on Château Bardins : https://chateaubardins.fr
• Tasting workshops at Château Bardins by Pascale Larroche :
www.degustation-bordeaux.fr/le-blog
https://www.degustationsansmoderation.com
