Xavier Piton, Château Belles Graves: the wine that sailed aboard the Calypso

Château Belles Graves is a family estate in the Lalande-de-Pomerol AOC, on Bordeaux’s Right Bank, owned by the Piton family since 1938. Xavier Piton produces Merlot wines on a sunlit hillside overlooking the vineyards of Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, available for direct purchase on Avenue des Vins.

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A hillside, a view, and 1938 at its roots

What is the history of Château Belles Graves?

There are places you never tire of looking at. Château Belles Graves is one of them. Perched on its sun-drenched hillside, it overlooks the vineyards of Saint-Émilion and Pomerol  two of the most prestigious appellations on Bordeaux’s Right Bank. A panorama Xavier Piton has admired all his life, and one that has never lost its power.

The estate has been in the family since 1938, but its winemaking history goes back much further. It is one of the historic estates of the village. For over eighty years, the Piton family has upheld the same philosophy: respect the place, its terroir, and its history. Let the wine express itself without trying to disguise it.

“Wine is the reflection of all this, and the technique and personality of the winemaker should remain discreet.”

Here, wine is above all a connection. A means of exchange, encounters, and hospitality. The estate is known for the warm welcome it offers visitors, and Xavier Piton nurtures this spirit with the same care he gives to his vines.

First harvest at age 3 photos classified top secret

How did Xavier Piton become a winemaker?

When asked how he caught the wine bug, Xavier Piton smiles and says he fell into it as a child. Literally. His first harvest was at the age of three.

“I’m not sure I was very efficient, but the worker cutting with me made sure we were always first to the end of the row. There are photos, but they’re classified top secret.”

This natural lightness, this relaxed and joyful relationship with a demanding profession, is perhaps the best way to describe Xavier Piton. A winemaker deeply rooted in his terroir, serious about his work, yet never solemn. He knows wine is meant to be shared, and that pleasure begins long before the tasting.

What gets him up every morning? The sheer diversity of the job. No two days are alike. Constant renewal. Stimulating, he says simply no need to elaborate further.

Cousteau, the Calypso, and the frost of 1991

What is the most memorable story of Château Belles Graves?

Among the estate’s memories, two moments stand out with particular intensity  one bright, the other harsh.

First, the extraordinary one. Commander Cousteau was the first cousin of Xavier’s grandfather. As a result, Château Belles Graves wines traveled aboard the Calypso, the legendary ship that sailed around the world, and were enjoyed by numerous distinguished guests across the oceans. There is something almost surreal about imagining a bottle of Lalande-de-Pomerol opened somewhere between continents, on the deck of the most famous vessel of the 20th century.

Château Belles Graves thus holds a unique place in the wine world: its bottles sailed on the Calypso of Commander Cousteau and were tasted by prestigious guests all over the globe.

The other memory is far less romantic. The frost of April 21, 1991. Xavier had been established for just three years. In a single night, the entire harvest was destroyed by frost.

“In one night, the entire crop turned to ice… It’s very hard, but it teaches humility.”

Between Cousteau’s voyages and that devastating frost, Xavier Piton has experienced it all  the thrill of the extraordinary and the harsh reality of nature. Together, these moments shape a winemaker.

The best vintage is the one yet to come

What wines are produced at Château Belles Graves?

What is his favorite vintage? Xavier’s answer says everything about his mindset as a winemaker.

“When I’m asked what my favorite vintage is, I often say I hope it’s still to come.”

No nostalgia, no fixed hierarchy. Each year has its own personality, its own style, its own moment, and its own companions. This constant forward-looking mindset is what drives Xavier to continue despite the challenges of modern viticulture and the growing impact of climate change.

His wines? Merlot expressing itself differently each year. A balanced, dense, and silky vintage on the fruit pairs beautifully with milk-fed lamb or beef fillet with Périgueux sauce. A more solar vintage, driven by the power of the terroir, shines alongside grilled dry-aged beef or a platter of aged cheeses. One conviction remains: there is a wine for every moment, and every moment deserves its wine.

One word to describe the estate? Xavier doesn’t hesitate: Wow. And honestly, it makes perfect sense.

Buying Château Belles Graves wines on Avenue des Vins means discovering a Lalande-de-Pomerol Merlot from a hillside family estate dating back to 1938, shipped directly by Xavier Piton from the domaine, through a short supply chain with no intermediaries.

Discover Château Belles Graves wines directly on their Avenue des Vins page Lalande-de-Pomerol AOC wines shipped from the estate, through a short supply chain.