Château Durand-Bayle

The estate

The Gonet family have grown Champagne since 1802. They have owned Château Lesparre since 1986, and in 1989 they bought Château Durand-Bayle from the Furth family of the Dordogne. The 10 hectares lie in the east of the appellation, above the Bréa and facing east toward Pomerol, gravel on the plateau and more clay down the slope, and since the purchase parts of the vineyard have been replanted and drained.

The red, 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, is picked by hand, sorted and kept as whole berries where possible, macerated 3 weeks, put through its malolactic in barrel and aged 6 to 12 months on the lees, depending on the vintage.

At a glance

Appellation

Graves de Vayres

Classification

No classification

Owners

The Gonet family, since 1989

Vineyard

10 hectares, partly replanted and drained since 1989

Ground

Gravel on the plateau, clay down the slope

Grapes

Merlot 80%, Cabernet Sauvignon 20%

Cellar

Picked by hand; 3 weeks of maceration; malolactic in barrel; 6 to 12 months on the lees

Wines

Château Durand-Bayle

The house

Vignobles Michel Gonet: also Château Lesparre, Graves de Vayres, and Château d’Eck, Pessac-Léognan

Sources: Vignobles Michel Gonet, Château Durand-Bayle, in French · Vignobles Michel Gonet, Bordeaux, in French · Vignobles Michel Gonet, the history of a family · Graves de Vayres, Château Durand-Bayle, in French