Chateau La Bienfaisance St. Emilion Bordeaux, Complete Guide

Learn everything about Chateau La Bienfaisance St. Emilion with wine tasting notes, wine, and food pairing tips, best vintages, a history of the property, information on the vineyards, and winemaking. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles

In 1990, Chateau La Bienfaisance was purchased by its still current owners, which consists of a partnership between the Duval-Fleury and Corneau families. Chateau La Bienfaisance is located in the Fombrauge sector of the Saint Emilion appellation, which is just due east of the St. Emilion village.

Chateau La Bienfaisance Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking

The 10.5-hectare vineyard of Chateau La Bienfaisance is planted to 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. The terroir is typical of the St. Emilion appellation with its clay and limestone soils.

The vineyard is planted to a vine density of 5,500 vines per hectare. Replanting of the vineyard is taking place at higher levels of vineyard density than before. On average, the vines are close to 30 years of age.

To produce the wine of Chateau La Bienfaisance, the grapes are fermented in temperature-controlled, oak tanks with a 28-day maceration. Micro-oxygenation is practiced twice, during fermentation and in the aging process. Up to 30% of the production experiences malolactic fermentation in the barrel.

The remainder takes place in vat. The wine is aged on its post-malo lees for the first six months with lees stirring taking place in 30% new, French oak barrels for an average of 15 months.

Chateau La Bienfaisance also produces a special cuvee called Sanctus. Sanctus is made from a Merlot-dominated blend. The Right Bank fruit for Sanctus comes from a specific 3-hectare parcel in their vineyard. The vines are planted in a terroir of clay and limestone mixed with iron deposits in the soil. The vines for this Cuvee are on average 40 years of age.

The best vintages of Chateau La Bienfaisance are: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2010, 2009 and 2005.

Slightly more than 4,000 cases of wine are produced at this St. Emilion estate each year. There is a second wine, Peymouton. The property brought in the team of Stephane Derenoncourt as their consultants.

When to Drink Chateau La Bienfaisance, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Chateau La Bienfaisance needs some time before it can be enjoyed. Young vintages can be decanted for an average of 1 hour or more. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume

Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment. Chateau La Bienfaisance is usually better with at least 4-6 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. Chateau La Bienfaisance offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 5-15 years of age after the vintage.

Serving Chateau La Bienfaisance with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips

Chateau La Bienfaisance is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.

Chateau La Bienfaisance is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Chateau La Bienfaisance is also good when matched with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta.

Both wines, Sanctus and Chateau La Bienfaisance have been improving in quality since the 2005 vintage. Currently, Chateau La Bienfaisance is spending the money and making all the right choices needed to produce the best Bordeaux wines possible at their estate.

www.labienfaisance.com