Château Beau-Site: Vineyards
Château Beau-Site sits in the hamlet of St-Corbian, on the most northerly gravel mound of the Saint-Estèphe appellation.
When I first set eyes on Château Beau-Site it was immediately clear to me why it was so named. Situated on the periphery of the village, the vineyards run down the slopes of the gravel mound towards the Chenal de Calon, a drainage channel which runs between this gravel mound and the next one to the south, where Château Calon-Ségur, Château Ormes de Pez and Château de Pez are located. Stand at the top of the vineyard and you have wonderful views across and down the channel to Château Calon-Ségur and its vineyards, and out towards the Gironde. A ‘beau site’ indeed.
The property therefore enjoys a prominent position within the appellation, and when out in the vines it is difficult to lose sight of the château; it seems to me that wherever I find myself in the appellation, there is Château Beau-Site in the distance, glinting in the Bordeaux sunshine. I guess in reality you have to be on the northern side of Château Calon-Ségur for this to be true, but you get the idea. Beau-Site is visible from across a wide part of the appellation, and a useful landmark.
The gravel mound occupied by Beau-Site and its neighbours is worthy of consideration. As you head north on the single road that runs through St-Corbian the château and vineyards of Beau-Site are situated on the right-hand side of the road. Just next-door is Château Beau-Site Haut-Vignoble; more than one or two wine merchants and wine writers have, over the years, confused the two properties. Also noteworthy in this little corner of the appellation is Château Tour des Termes, which sits at the southern entrance to the village, and Château Haut-Coteau, at the northern end. Sitting some distance away to the northeast is the imposing Château Le Boscq, with which the estate shares some history. That château looks out to the east, enjoying a splendid view over the Gironde, while its vines sit behind it.
