Château Beynat
One of the few Castillon wineries that is managed using organic farming
The Beynat domain was purchased and created in 1917 by Leonard Nebout, ironmonger in Castillon. He decided to acquire this property because after the 1st World War he didn’t not still be a ironmonger due to a lack of iron. Unfortunately for him his new life as a winemaker was short as he died in 1921 leaving the property to his wife. She had perpetuating the dream of her husband, continued to invest in the winery and fitted out technical tools such as a concrete vat. At her death, she bequeathed the winery/vineyard and renamed it ” Château Beynat ” for her daughter and her son-in-law Henri Borliachon who undertook to take ownership and develop. The Borliachon family remained at the helm of Château Beynat for 4 generations before being sold in 2008 to Alain Tourenne and Nathalie Boyer.
Currently the chateau covers 14 hectares located in Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux AOC as well as Saint-Emilion (land leased).
Where does the name of Château Beynat come from? And why the name of the Cuvée Terre Amoureuse?
The name “Beynat” comes simply from the name of a place where the property is located.
Regarding the name of the Cuvée Terre Amoureuse, the name was found by Nathalie Boyer who once harvested in the rain this plot returned to the château with very sticky soil on the boots like two lovers are “glued” together …
Focus on Alain Tourenne, co-owner of Château Beynat
Vidéo Fr & En
“I’ve always worked in the world of wine. I started working with my father when he was a winemaker. For my part I was a worker in the winery and a winemaker at Château du Cros (Loupiac) then I worked for a company for the provision of agricultural services. In 2008 I returned to the area of Castillon, where I was born and I discovered Château Beynat. Shortly after seeing the potential of this property I decided to return the property in association with Nathalie Boyer.
Currently I live on the property with my wife Sabah and she helps me from time to time. My associate, Nathalie is an integral part of the management of the property. She deals with the administration and marketing. Each major decisions are made by mutual agreement.
Even my daughter is a little bit involved in the marketing of the grape juice because she named this juice ‘Chato Doudou’. It’s a cute story. When she was 4 ½ years old we spent a day together to deliver wine and during this time, in the car she took her phone (toy) and imitated me in the process of talking to a customer. She said … I will not deliver today but tomorrow. But it is not the Château Beynat but the Chato Doudou. “From there I asked her to draw me a label and that’s how was born the label of our bottle of fresh grape juice. “(Alain Tourenne)
What is the wine for you?
“My life! When I taste wine that is emotion, tension and attraction. When I drink wine I look for the emotion of ‘that’s good’, I expected a bottle she carries me and surprise me. ” (Alain Tourenne)
What do you look for every year when you create your wines?
“Our style is to make as much as possible the most aromatic wines, and they feel the dripping fruit and not the barrel. If in some wines we used wood is simply to have just a small roast flavour. We’re not trying to make a super powerful wine or highly concentrated but aromatic, fruity and fine.” (Alain Tourenne)
In my opinion I would say that Alain Tourenne has a very Burgundian approach when making these wines. Indeed tasting the wines of Château Beynat prove to be quite atypical for the region, they are very fruity, very little woods, not over-extracted with fruit dominant and well defined. There are also quite regularly a pretty cool finish.
Side anecdote
The harvest at Château Beynat a little reminder what happened there 40 or 50 years in the Bordeaux vineyards. Indeed to collect information for using the right grapes they used to make wines of the property many people would gather each year at the property among them journalists, bloggers, customers and friends … which over time they all become “friends”. So, if you want to participate you are welcome!
Always side anecdote, if you visit the property you can see in the tasting room of paintings made with wine …. wine Beynat course!
Side project
Alain Tourenne side project is to develop a little more wine and create two guest rooms with a table. In the medium term it would also open a wine bar (1 or 2 days a week) on the property to provide “atypical wines that deserve to be known” alongside its wines.
“I often serve biodynamic wines. I started practicing / biodynamic inspire me in what I currently practice. Whenever I can I would like to apply to the entire vineyard Beynat and work horse in my vineyard. For me it is not to follow a folklore fashionable at the moment, it is by value. ” (Alain Tourenne)
Thanks to Alain and Sabah Tourenne for their hospitality.
Jonathan Choukroun Chicheportiche
Château Beynat
23 Bis Château Beynat
33350 Saint-Magne de Castillon
+33 (0)557400114
