Bordeaux is the largest source of quality wines in the world.

Its flat countryside is attractive, if not spectacular. However, without the lush vineyards and the illustrious names of the great chateaus, there would be little to thrill the traveller.

Sandwiched between the regions of Cognac and Armagnac, Bordeaux is the largest departement in France and the wine it produces generates more revenue than any other region.

To the Romans, these South-facing vineyards overlooking the Gironde seemed the ideal place to plant vines.

95% of the wine produced here is good-value red. According to some sources, the vine was cultivated in Bourg as soon as the Romans arrived. Vineyards were certainly flourishing here long before those of the Medoc just the other side of the Gironde.

The vineyards fan out behind the town of Bourg, situated on the right bank of the confluence of the Dordogne and the Garonne. some 20 km north of Bordeaux. The topsoil is clay-limestone or clay-gravel over a hard limestone subsoil.

Chateau Bel-Air is made in the Commune of Samonac by Thierry & Yannick Gayet. They owned a 14 ha property and used to prepare this wine 80% of Merlot and 20% of Cabernet Franc grapes from 40 years old vines.

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