Château de Braude

The château

Régis Bernaleau created Château de Braude in 1983, its vineyard around a 19th-century house at Macau that he and Karin Bernaleau restored, between 2 Grands Crus Classés and a short way from the Route des Châteaux. It became a Cru Bourgeois in 2003, the family home has taken guests as a gîte since 2005, and 2 generations now work there together. Their Vignobles Bernaleau also make Château Mongravey and Château Galland.

Most of the vines are at Macau, on deep Quaternary gravels that drain well and give back the day’s heat; some are at Arsac, on gravels close to the terroirs of Margaux, for Cabernet Sauvignon, and some at Moulis, on clay and limestone, for Merlot. They are planted at 6,600 to 10,000 vines a hectare, picked by hand and by machine, and certified Haute Valeur Environnementale (High Environmental Value, the French state’s environmental certification for farms) since 2017. The 2018 is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, aged 14 months in French oak barrels, 45% new. Production is 45,000 bottles, and de Braude was a Cru Bourgeois in the classifications of 2020 and 2025.

At a glance

Appellation

Haut-Médoc

Commune

Macau, with vines at Arsac and Moulis

Classification

Cru Bourgeois, 2020 and 2025; a Cru Bourgeois since 2003

Owners

The Bernaleau family, Vignobles Bernaleau

Vineyard

6,600 to 10,000 vines a hectare

Soil

Quaternary gravel at Macau; gravel at Arsac; clay and limestone at Moulis Terroir of Haut-Médoc →

Grapes

The 2018: Cabernet Sauvignon 60%, Merlot 40%

Farming

Haute Valeur Environnementale, since 2017

Cellar

Picked by hand and by machine; the 2018, 14 months in French oak barrels, 45% new

Production

45,000 bottles

Wines

Château de Braude

The house

Also Château Mongravey and Château Galland