Château Bélair-Monange: Cru de Canolle
Thus the lieu-dit where Château Bélair-Monange now sits was known as Canolle for many years, and the vineyard as Cru de Canolle; it was only many years later that the name of Belair (sometimes written as Bel-Air) appeared. The land remained in the hands of Robert Knowles’ descendants for several centuries, and it seems accepted that there were vines planted here sometime during the Middle Ages. From Robert Knowles the line of inheritance seems to have been lost, but I have picked up the trail again in the late 16th century with Pierre de Canolle, a descendant of Robert, and I have followed the line through to the 20th century. There is little or no information on the vineyard or wine during this era, nevertheless I include as much information on Robert’s descendants as I have been able to identify, to complete the story.
Pierre de Canolle was married on August 17th 1572 to Jeanne Isabeau de Calvimont, and they had five children, named Ogier, Jean, Jacques, Jeanne and Isabeau. Of these Jean de Canolle (died 1646) is the most relevant. He was married on September 27th 1608 to Marie de Lescours, and they had two children, a son Ogier-Alexandre and a daughter Marguerite. As you might imagine the land was passed to the son Ogier-Alexandre de Canolle, who was also Seigneur de Lescours, a title inherited from his mother’s side, and he also held the office of Sénéchal de Libourne. He was married on November 16th 1654, his spouse Marguerite de Monneins, and the union produced five children, Henri, Sarran, another Henri (it may be that the first-born died), Marie Anne and Thérèse.
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