Vignobles J. Queyrens & Fils: a century of family devoted to wine

Some estates reveal their true nature within the first few seconds, provided you ask the right question. Ask the Queyrens family what comes to mind when they think about their vines, and their answer is immediate and clear: family, heritage and the land. Not an empty slogan, but a guiding principle that has been passed down through generations and has shaped every decision made in the vineyard rows and the cellar for more than a century.

Available directly from the estate on Avenue des Vins.

What is the story behind the estate?

Family, heritage and the land

The story began in 1964, when Jean and Yvette Queyrens purchased their first plot in the hamlet of Pilet. They later took over their parents’ estates Château du Pin-Franc and Château des Graves du Tich and made the defining decision to move into bottled wine sales, leaving bulk wine behind in order to build their own identity. That commitment to quality, made more than sixty years ago, still defines the DNA of Vignobles Queyrens today.

Today, their sons Patrick and Christophe carry the torch, supported by Jean-Yves, Jean and Yvette’s grandson, the third generation now firmly at the helm. Together, they manage a 50-hectare vineyard in the Côtes de Bordeaux, a land they know in every detail, season after season.

How did the passion for wine begin?

The spark at five years old

In the Queyrens family, you do not really choose wine (wine chooses you. This anecdote says a lot about the spirit of the estate. At five years old, the first lips dipped into a glass of sweet wine) and that was the beginning of a lifelong passion. An early initiation, in the gentle world of sweet wines, that set everything in motion.

At the age of five, when I first started dipping my lips into sweet wines.

This attachment to sweet wines is no family coincidence. It lives on in one of the estate’s finest stories, passed down like a treasure from one generation to the next. Every Christmas meal, their grandfather Jean would open a bottle of Château des Graves du Tich 1943 living proof that great sweet Bordeaux wines can age gracefully for decades.

Our grandfather used to open a bottle of Château des Graves du Tich 1943 for Christmas meals. Sweet wines are delicious when young, but they also have the advantage of being able to age for years.

A cellar lesson the family has never forgotten, and one that can still be felt today in the way the Queyrens think about their wines: always with the long term in mind.

What moment of the year matters most to you?

Harvest time, when everything is decided

What truly excites a winemaker is rarely what people imagine. For the Queyrens family, it is not medals or trade fairs, but the first days of harvest. That moment, both feared and eagerly awaited, when an entire year of work is finally revealed in the quality of the grapes.

Our fondest memories are often the first days of harvest; that is when everything is decided, when we feel what is going to shape the vintage and the quality of our wines.

A mixture of stress and relief, tension and pride. The quiet culmination of twelve months of care, pruning, treatments and weather-related worries. And behind that moment lies a simple yet profound motivation: to express the terroir in a glass of wine.

Every sip should be an opportunity to give another dimension to the present moment, whether it is a family meal, an aperitif with friends or a barbecue.

Which wine best represents the estate?

Château Pilet Red, the all-round wine

Which wine best embodies the spirit of Vignobles Queyrens? The answer comes quickly: Château Pilet Red, the estate’s signature cuvée. A fruity, approachable wine, able to fit into just about any occasion from a casual Sunday aperitif to a festive holiday dinner. But that is not all.

It appeals to a wide audience and suits a huge range of occasions thanks to its fruity character. It is very good when young, but it also has ageing potential, with spicier aromas that develop over time. It is the all-terrain wine!

A definition that could just as easily apply to the family itself: deeply rooted in its Bordeaux heritage, yet able to adapt to each new generation without ever losing its identity. The wine reflects the people who make it.

As for what is new, the Queyrens family is preparing to launch an original new cuvée: Noir Pur, a white wine made from black grapes, in the tradition of Blanc de Noirs. A way of exploring new taste territories while remaining faithful to their terroir and their century-old expertise.

Discover the wines of Vignobles J. Queyrens & Fils directly from the estate, at the estate price, in a short supply chain on Avenue des Vins.

Frequently asked questions about Vignobles J. Queyrens & Fils

Where are the J. Queyrens & Fils vineyards located?

The estate covers 50 hectares in the Côtes de Bordeaux. The family has farmed here since buying a first plot in the Pilet hamlet back in 1964.

Which wine best represents the Queyrens estate?

Château Pilet Red carries that role. Its fruity profile makes it easy to enjoy young, while a few years of ageing bring a spicier side to the glass.

How many generations run the Queyrens estate?

Three take turns. Patrick and Christophe, sons of founders Jean and Yvette, now work alongside Jean-Yves, their grandson, who embodies the next generation.

Do the Queyrens vineyards make sweet wines?

Yes, sweet wines belong to the house identity. They drink well in their youth yet also reward several years of ageing before opening.

What is the estate's Noir Pur cuvée?

It is a white wine in the making, vinified from black-skinned grapes in the Blanc de Noirs tradition. A new addition that extends the family know-how.