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Shop › Château Beychevelle
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 Beychevelle has always been a place for men of authority. Little wonder, then, that it has had such a rich and varied history. Bishop François de Foix-Candale commissioned the first Château building in 1565. This passed to his niece and heir, spouse of Jean-Louis de Nogaret de la Valette, First Duc d'Epernon, favourite of King Henri III, Grand Admiral of France, and later successively governor of Provence and Guyenne. It was this man who was responsible for the name Beychevelle: ships sailing past his residence had to lower their flags (Beychevelle is an archaic spelling of Baisse Voile, which means, literally, ‘Lower Your Sails’) in homage of the all-powerful Duc d'Epernon. The château’s emblem, a ship with a griffin at its prow - the griffin being the guardian of the Dionysus’s wine crater in Greek mythology - adorns the château’s parkland, in a magnificent bronze sculpture created in 1989 by Roberto Gnozzi, Professor of the Fine Arts Academy of Rome. The Foix-Candale family held the property until the end of the seventeenth century. The eighteenth century saw the beginnings of the grand cru wine so well-known today. Etienne-François de Brassier, succeeded by his son François-Armand, Barons de Beychevelle, were very keen to improve the vineyard and make the most of its excellent location on the banks of the estuary. The central portion of the château, still visible today, was partially rebuilt by François-Armand during the second half of the eighteenth century. The start of the nineteenth century saw the property in decline, but then Bordeaux wine merchant Pierre-François Guestier, brought Château Beychevelle back to its splendour by winning a gold medal in 1866. His successor, Armand Heine, cousin of German poet Heinrich Heine, had the north wing of the castle built. He also replanted the vineyard after the phylloxera disaster. His wife, Marie-Amélie Kohn then re-established this vineyard. French Deputy Charles Achille-Fould takes over the Estate from 1890. He builds upon the prestige of Beychevelle wines and after the First World War presides over a veritable boom in price and demand. His son Armand, a minister during the early 30s, comes to inherit the Estate. He picks himself a team of competent advisers and appeals to the advice of Professeur Emile Peynaud. In 1970 the Estate passes to Aymar Achille-Fould, Postal Minister and Deputy. Still advised by Professeur Peynaud, he sets in place a rigorous selection policy which in 1974 results in production of a second wine for the Domaine, called Amiral de Beychevelle. Increasing running expenses lead Achille-Fould to seek a financial partner, which he finds in Garantie Mutuelle des Fonctionnaires (GMF). GMF takes up a minority shareholding in 1984, and in 1986, on the death of Aymar Achille-Fould purchases a majority of shares in the company. In 1988 GMF joins forces with SUNTORY of Japan and sets up the Société Grands Millésimes de France which becomes with Azur Assurances sole holder of all shares in Château Beychevelle. Grands Millésimes de France also manages Château Beaumont, cru Bourgeois Haut-Médoc, the Bordeaux wine merchants bBarrière Frères, château de Bligny at Bligny-les-Beaune (Burgundy) and the Domaine Impérial d'Hétszölö in Tokaj (Hungary). Visit the Château Beychevelle website. |
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All sizes are 750mL unless otherwise noted.
Vintages and ratings subject to change at any time.
All pricing and availability subject to change.
Artwork does not necessarily represent items for sale.
Vintages and ratings subject to change at any time.
All pricing and availability subject to change.
Artwork does not necessarily represent items for sale.
