Château Teyssier

The château

Teyssier is an old vineyard that goes back to the 15th century, and the château stands high on a mound of clay and limestone a few kilometers northeast of Saint-Émilion. Two cousins of the 4th generation run it: Antoine Darquey, manager since 1993, and Thomas Durand-Teyssier, director of operations since 2007. Michel Rolland was its consultant until 2013, and Stéphane Derenoncourt has advised it since 2014.

Thirty-five hectares lie in a single block on a plateau of up to 114 meters between Montagne and Puisseguin Saint-Émilion; 10 more lie in a south-facing cirque touching the plateau, and 6 on the terroirs of Parsac. The soil is red clay and starfish limestone. The vineyard is 85% Merlot at 5,500 vines a hectare and 15% Cabernet Franc at 6,500, farmed by lutte raisonnée and certified Haute Valeur Environnementale (High Environmental Value, the French state’s environmental certification for farms), level 3. The wine is made plot by plot, in vats sized to the vineyard; 70% of it ages 10 to 14 months, depending on the vintage, in French barrels of 225 or 400 liters, and 30% stays in vat to keep as much fruit as possible for the final blend. Beside Château Teyssier the estate makes Fleur la Chapelle, a Puisseguin Saint-Émilion, and Château du Puy Bonnet, a pure Merlot made without added sulfur.

At a glance

Appellation

Montagne-Saint-Émilion

Commune

Puisseguin, with vines between Montagne and Puisseguin

Classification

No classification

Direction

Antoine Darquey, manager, since 1993; Thomas Durand-Teyssier, director of operations, since 2007

Consultants

Stéphane Derenoncourt, since 2014; before him Michel Rolland, until 2013

Vineyard

35 hectares in one block on the plateau, 10 in a south-facing cirque, 6 at Parsac

Soil

Red clay and starfish limestone Terroir of Montagne-Saint-Émilion →

Grapes

Merlot 85%, Cabernet Franc 15%

Farming

Lutte raisonnée; Haute Valeur Environnementale, level 3

Cellar

Plot by plot; 70% in French barrels of 225 or 400 liters for 10 to 14 months; 30% in vat

Wines

Château Teyssier; Fleur la Chapelle, Puisseguin Saint-Émilion; Château du Puy Bonnet, without added sulfur