Nestled in the heart of our vineyard, the current house and its gardens were built in 1850 on the site of a former hunting lodge, a true secondary residence during the reign of Louis XV. Our estate is a haven of peace, reminiscent of the time when people sought refuge from the constraints of life at Versailles. The verdant park offers an idyllic setting for a stroll, punctuated by unexpected encounters (beehives, sheep, etc.). This bucolic setting inspires winemakers and visitors alike with its elegance and refinement.
1700
1796
1815
1823
1851
1855
1898
1979
1987
1996
2007
2015
2021
2023
1700
During the reign of Louis XV, the smallhoiding known as ‘Darrouilh’ where Chateau Belgrave stands today was a hunting lodge in te heart of nature.
The link between the Cru property and the wild Natures still in evidence today, symbolised by the ferret featured on the labels and by the name of the second wine, ‘Diane de Belgrave’.
1796
At the death of Joseph Brisson, a Bordeaux wine merchant, the estate comprising of three smallholdings – Petit Camensac, Sieujan and Darrouilh – the latter being today known as Belgrave, is divided among the heirs. A difficult succession lasting 30 years would then follow.
1815
The estate, amidst the Brisson succession, is mentioned for the first time in 1815 in a Bordeaux wines classification established by Guillaume Lawton, under the name of ‘Brisson’ in Saint-Julien.
1823
The vineyard is notably developed by Godefroy Bartelemi Coutanceau, a doctor at the Val-de-Grâce hospital, who purchases the smallholding of “Darrous” from the Brisson heirs in 1823. His name would be associated with the estate long after his death in almost all classifications established by the courtiers and negociants on the “Place de Bordeaux”, including in 1855.
1851
The name “Bellegrave” first appears in 1851 when Bruno Devès, a Bordeaux negociant, purchased and remodelled the estate, focusing on cultivating vines on the finest gravel terroirs. He builds outbuildings, winery and ageing cellar, and in 1850 constructs the existing house on the site of the former hunting lodge.
1855
The wine is granted 5th growth statut in 1855, still under ‘Coutanceau’ while ‘Belgrave’ is finally adopted at the beginning of the 20th century by Marcel alibert, founder of the Syndicate of Crus Classés, and owner of the estate for almost 30 years.
1898
Marcel Alibert takes ownership of Belgrave in 1898. Fully committed to safeguarding, enhancing and promoting Bordeaux, he devotes his life to structuring the indestry; restricting production, introducing quality standards and assigning individual Appellations d’Origine for each vineyard. He plays a key role in establishing the Syndicat des Crus Classés du Médoc in 1901, of which he is General Secretary, then Vice-President for 25 years.
1979
Dourthe takes over the management of Chateau Belgrave. The start of a new era, set to bring this prestigious wine back to its former glory, worthy of its prestigious Haut-Médoc Grand Cru Classé ranking.
1987
The Chateau Belgrave team decided to launch a second wine. In homage to the estate’s historical link with hunting, it was only natural that the second wine would take the name Diane de Belgrave, a reference to the Roman goddess of wild nature.
1996
Co-opted by its peers, Chateau Belgrave becomes a menber of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux.
2007
The partially underground barrel hall is entirely renovated and modernised, complete with temperature and humidity control.
2015
Chateau Belgrave sees a packaging overhaul: the new bottle is engraved with the historic coat of arms, which already appeared on the labels since 1939.
2021
This vintage has been ranked among the Top 100 of the best wines in the world in 2024 by Vinous, a leading international media outlet founded by Antonio Galloni.
2023
Chateau Belgrave 2023 features a new label reproducing an old engraving of the property, from Féret Editions, and a new capsule, shorter and in a warm grey hue, in reference to the color of the Medoc gravels.
