The de Boüard family, owners of St-Emilion premier grand cru classé Château Angélus, have taken a 50% stake in Château Bellevue, a former St-Emilion grand cru classé.
‘This is a €10m investment so a considerable undertaking for the family,’ Angélus managing director Hubert de Boüard said.
His grandfather had tried but failed to acquire the estate in 1938.
The 6ha vineyard has a prime location on clay-limestone slopes surrounded by St-Emilion premiers grands crus classés Angélus, Beau-Séjour-Bécot and Beauséjour.
In 2006 Bellevue was stripped of its grand cru classé status in the latest edition of the St-Emilion classification, which is currently suspended.
The classification, however, did not take into account the considerable progress made since 2000 under the management of Nicolas Thienpont and wine consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt. Both will continue to run the property.
The de Lavaud family form the other half of the ownership.
See also:
St Emilion classification suspended indefinitely
Written by James Lawther in Bordeaux
