Château Cantelaudette is part of the Bordeaux holdings of the Chatelier family, which also owns Château Chatelier (formerly known as Château Fantin). The estate, located in the appellation of Graves de Vayres, was established by the family in 1870. At the time, as was the custom, they planted a variety of crops including grapes. They also manufactured terracotta tiles from clay found in the quarry there. Born and raised on the property, current owner and manager Jean-Michel Chatelier was immersed in all aspects of the winemaking profession from an early age but decided to go to school and earn a Master’s degree in Economic Science. By 1984 the estate had been abandoned, but Jean-Michel and his wife, Laurence, who he married that same year, fell in love with it and made the revitalization of this beautiful château and vineyards their life’s work.
Château Cantelaudette is set between the cities of Bordeaux and Libourne in the northern part of the Entre-Deux-Mers region on a plateau overlooking the Dordogne River. The proximity to both the river and the ocean brings a warming influence that helps to fully ripen the grapes. The Graves de Vayres appellation was officially founded in 1936 although records show its use on actual wine labels as early as 1904. The appellation is named for its soils, which depending on the altitude are composed of clay-gravel, silt-gravel, or sand-clay, as well as its proximity to the village of Vayres. These soils, as well as the microclimate of the region, are particularly suited to Merlot which comprises 75% of the 400 hectares that are planted.
Jean-Michel manages 60 hectares of vineyards, the majority of which are planted to Merlot along with some Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. For the white wine, the estate uses predominantly Semillon (90%) blended with some Sauvignon and Muscadelle for complexity and aromatics.
Jean-Michel is committed to improving the impact of farming on the environment and has obtained the demanding Haute Valeur Environnementale certification, which reflects excellence in the areas of biodiversity, plant protection, management of fertilizer use and management of water. He makes wines that are truly amazing values and a pleasure to drink, with lovely supple fruit and fine gravelly notes to complete the profile. A baby Graves to drink every night!