Château Haut Bacalan
A property steeped in history created by the great Montesquieu
Château Haut-Bacalan is an old property of which the date of it’s first occupation by man is unknown. The first writing dates back to Montesquieu who was one of the first owners of Château Haut-Bacalan. There were already a few vines of his time but he expanded the property to thirty hectares. They were planted without the approval of king Louis XIV. The literary joust which followed led the philosopher to export its production to England. Several times he speaks in his writings about the property. It was base for him.
“Montesquieu, from the time he owned the estate had made it his home and planted thirty hectares. At the end of his life he had great difficulty moving. He sold the house and vineyards in Bacalan to acquire a property of the Entre-deux-Mers more suited to his disability. The new owners came from the notable Gascon family who arrived here with the kings of Navarre. They already owned all the Bordeaux Bacalan’s quays/waterfront. They were owners, merchants and Montesquieu was a devote of Bordeaux.”
The family kept the property for more than a century before selling it in 1920 to the Cami family. The latter bought it somewhat by chance. It was in 1998 that I bought Haut-Bacalan from Mr Cami (who was born here on the property!). I then immediately replanted the vineyard. My first vintage was 2001. Today the Château Haut-Bacalan covers 25 hectares (8 hectares and 50 acres in white) and produces an average of 28,000 bottles per year. We work our vines with horses. I also planned to bring horses on the property and create a small stable.
Focus on Charles-Henri Gonet, owner of Château Haut-Bacalan. Why did you work in the wine industry ?
“I am interested in a lot of sectors, but I always kept one foot in viticulture. Although I was born in Champagne in a family of winemakers, I studied viticulture in Burgundy and intern in the Rhone Valley to Bordeaux but I established myself.
Part of my work was to study the hydroponic medium vine culture.I was convinced of the importance of producing wines with interesting genetic material. I did not yet fully understand the notion of great terroir. The appreciation of the great Bordeaux opened my eyes; I am a huge fan of true terroir today. »
Why did you choose to come and settle in Bordeaux and not Champagne?
“ No one is a prophet in his own country.
And that is Bordeaux chose me,
In Champagne child I dreamed of the far west
I found the south west.
Its culture delighted me
Its atmosphere rejoiced me.”
Why did you choose to buy Château Haut-Bacalan?
“ I found this property by chance. Here before there were cows and pigs because the previous owner had received grants in the 60s to pull the vines.
In 1997 my wife put a small ad in the local newspaper. We were looking for a place to live.
The announcement evoked a house and vineyard in Pessac.
Knowing the castles of the town, I was very surprised.
I put a bit of time to come to see it. Then one day passing around, I stopped. I then stumbled upon the owner who asked me if I was coming to the house. I told him that I certainly came to the building but also for the land, for a bit of both actually. The ground was already pre-sold to an area that wanted to expand it’s vineyard in AOC Pessac-Léognan. He replied that he preferred to sell the two not to dismantle the property and that if I was interested he would sell me all of it. I then walked on the field and the soil immediately came over me. The next weekend my father came down from Champagne because I told him I would show him that paradise was not the type of property I was looking for in the beginning. We came to visit and meet the owner. We went around together.
I questioned my father about his feelings. He said that all the ingredients were there to make a beautiful thing; and asked me if I had confidence in it. I immediately confirmed to the owner that I would buy it. When leaving I called my wife who was still working in Samu to tell her. At the time we were newlyweds, she criticized the lack of marital dialogue. I replied that it was my wedding gift … now it’s our family home, our cocoon and it is not possible for anyone to sell this house.”
What is the signature wine of Château Haut Bacalan? What allows to recognize them blind tasting?
“It is primarily maturity, concentration, fruit and terroir. These complete a wine. The Pessac-Léognans are generally easy to drink wines, which provides flexibility, a certain lightness but sometimes small hollow mid-palate. This is something that we will never find in the wines of Haut-Bacalan because they are full wines. These are linear wines without hollowness and resembles in some respects to Saint-Emilion.
My goal, my wish is to be able make optimum wines that have beautiful fruits and power. Everything is done to optimize the quality in the vineyard. The soils we work with horses to respect the settlement of the soil.
High on Bacalan there is no sacrifice on quality. One compromise on anything and the result is there, the product also.
At Château d’Eck we produce wine easier to drink in restaurants. There the sands and soil are a more ‘light’ terroir. ”
If you had to define what wine means to you in a few words?
“I would say that wine is my intellect, my richness/wealth and my life! ”
Do you have specific plans for Château Haut-Bacalan?
“Projects we always have some. I want to send my wine all over the world, make it known, to be enjoyed, known and to be appreciated by amateurs.
I also have planned, but hey it’s on the very long term to see buildings. I have an architect friend who wants us to redo the house as it was under Montesquieu. I would also have cellars to replace the current buried cellars. I think it’s great but currently not financially feasible. I grow so that the property is self-financing and that allows me to feed my family.
In the future we would like to open up more to wine tourism especially because our geographical location is perfect for this activity. ”
Do you have any anecdote ?
“When I travel, even if it is for a family holiday I have to taste what is being done locally. Recently I was in Montenegro and Croatia. I needed to see what was done, I had nothing to do, it’s stronger than me! It’s like an intellectual who needs to see what the other thinks. I have a strong curiosity about wines. I drop everything, I have a very professional look. As much as I can be lenient on young people who are so intense about the wines. I am much less intense! ”
Thanks to the Gonet family for their warm welcome.
Choukroun Chicheportiche Jonathan
56 Rue du Domaine de Bacalan,
33600 Pessac
+33(0)5 57 24 51 23
