Chateau Bourgneuf

Located in the center of the Pomerol appellation this small family-run estate produces wines for many generations. Situated just beside famous estates like Château Trotanoy, this Bordeaux chateau still remains some kind of hidden quality gem.

History

Château Bourneuf has been owned by the Viron family since 1840. Eight generations have now managed the estate. Xavier and Dominique Vayron took over in the 1970s and have been at the helm for around four decades. In 2008, their daughter Frédérique Vayron joined the team and now oversees wine production, working side by side with her parents. For many years, the estate’s wines were sold under two names: Château Bourgneuf in some markets and Château Bourgneuf Vayron in others. This practice began around 1970 and has been simplified in recent years.

Vineyards

The estate covers 9 hectares as a single block, situated on the slope of the Pomerol plateau on a south-east to north-west axis, which ensures the vineyards receive abundant sunshine. Three main soil types are found on the estate. The topsoil consists of pure clay and produces a rich, dense crop. The middle layer transitions from clay-sand to sand-clay, yielding more delicate and complex grape varieties. The lower part is very gravelly. Taken together, this mixture of gravel on clay and pure clay lends the wines both structure and finesse.

Grapes

The vineyard is planted with 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, a fairly classic blend for Pomerol. Merlot dominates because, as on most of the appellation’s finest soils, it thrives on this clay-rich terroir.

Winemaking

Work in the vineyards is carried out meticulously and largely by hand, including green pruning and harvesting, which is carried out plot by plot as each batch reaches optimal ripeness. The grapes are sorted, lightly crushed and fermented in temperature-controlled concrete vats, with careful manual pumping over to control extraction and preserve freshness.

The wine is then aged in French oak barrels for 12–14 months, with around 35% being new oak barrels and the remainder barrels that have previously held one or two vintages. Since 2019, the estate has held High Environmental Value (HVE) certification and continues to focus on soil health and sustainability, having recently invested in equipment that aerates and loosens the soil in a single pass of the tractor.