Chateau Brejou 2014 (6 x 750mL), Bordeaux, France.

A family-owned estate for 4 generations

On the outskirts of the Gironde and Dordogne regions, Château Bréjou nestles in the hills of the village of Saint-André-et-Appelles. Since 1951, the history of the estate has been inextricably linked to the Sottana family, as the greatgrandparents sought exile in the region to escape Mussolini’s dictatorship. Here they bought their first hectare of vines andrelied also on cereal crops to provide for the family. But it wasn’t until the 4th generation that the Château finally started to reveal its true potential. The two brothers, Ludovic andFabrice, on the sensible advice of their father Antoine, formed a colourful trio lacking in neither character, nor ambition. Where there was shyness, it was tempered by exuberancecreating the perfectly balanced partnership and stimulating the interest and curiosity of those around.

A hillside vineyard provides a privileged location

The time was ripe to realise the full quality potential of this stunning clay-limestone terroir, with its remarkable exposure on the south-facing slopes of the right bank of the Dordogne. And with Mother Nature on their side, the vines flourished in this sun-trap, lulled by warm winds blowing from the river. In 2006, Ludovic, Fabrice and their father embarked upon an ambitious remodelling programme on the estate. The vineyard was significantly redeveloped, in just a decade taking the vines from 16 ha to its present total of 63.5 ha - of which 52 ha was planted with red grapes, and 11.5 ha white.

Château Bréjou is the remarkable result of a decade of hard work to scale the dizzy heights of the Bordeaux appellation. And to compete with the true elite, the Sottana family realise that every detail counts and their quest for excellence had only just begun.