Jean-Marie and Pascale Bouldy decided to take Bellegrave organic just after the millenium, when for the first time the exact specs of the chemicals they had been used to spraying were revealed due to a change in the law. Horror quickly gave way to action and they feel that the quality not only of the soil and the vineyards has improved, but the wine too. Their 2008 impressed us from the start and continues to do so.

The Bouldy family purchased the propety in 1951, with the third generation now starting to join in the work. Situated in the southwest of the Pomerol AOC, Bellegrave`s vineyards sit on three different soils - gravel, sand and red clay. Grape varieties have been chosen to best exploit this terroir, with 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc.

The harvest is done by hand and grapes are manually sorted on a series of sophisticated tables de tris. Following fermentation, the wines are matured in Allier barrels, of which one third is new. So far, so normal, but what this means in practice is dense, dark wine, fully integrated with its oak and enormous pleasure to drink and affordable! (CW 29/05/13)