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Château l Éperon
Château L'Éperon: Bordeaux Supérieur direct from the estate in Vérac, next to Saint-Émilion...
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Château L'Éperon, Bordeaux Supérieur wines from Vérac, next door to Saint-Émilion
Château L'Éperon - Bordeaux Supérieur (Vérac, Gironde)
Château L'Éperon is a family-run estate of 35 hectares, 11 of them under vine, in Vérac, Gironde, on Bordeaux's Right Bank a few kilometres from Saint-Émilion. Olivier Bonnélye and his team make reds, whites, a rosé and two sparkling Crémants on clay-limestone soils, farmed under the French HVE level 3 sustainability certification since 2018.
Some estates you remember for the wine. At Château L'Éperon you also remember the rooster — the one on every label, whose spur, éperon in French, gave the property its name more than two centuries ago. Since 2021 a group of friends has taken over this Right Bank château with a simple idea: make good wine and share it. The estate's flagship red scored 91/100 from James Suckling and won Gold in both Los Angeles and Brussels, available directly from the grower on Avenue des Vins.
From an 1810 hunting lodge to a working wine estate
Local legend has it that in 1810 the Duke of Chambord fell for these hills of the Libournais and set up his hunting lodge here. A keen follower of cockfighting, he named the place L'Éperon, after the spur these birds carry on their leg. Two centuries later the rooster is still around. It appears on every bottle, and it says a good deal about the spirit of the house: character, and a taste for flair.
Vines took over in 1830, the date from which winemaking on the property is traced. The château was fully restored in 1981 by an English owner who made it his home. Then, in 2021, a new chapter opened: a group of friends and family, under the company We Love Bordeaux, bought the estate wanting it to be both a vineyard and a place where people are welcomed.
At the helm is Olivier Bonnélye, managing director and winegrower. A biochemist by training, he spent his career in the pharmaceutical and logistics industries before going back to university, at AgroSup, to devote himself to what had until then been a passion. He is now working to give Malbec, known locally as Côt, more room on the Right Bank. Alongside him are Nathalie Bonnélye, sales director, who holds a master's in Wine Business and Hospitality and WSET Level 3, and Maria Deyonker, a former banking executive who now looks after guests at the estate.
The Château L'Éperon motto
“ La passion qui réunit les amis ” — the passion that brings friends together.
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Clay-limestone soils, neighbours to the Saint-Émilion grands crus
Vérac sits on the right bank of the Dordogne, in the Libournais, fifteen minutes from Libourne station and around half an hour from Bordeaux. It is a landscape of gentle slopes and small valleys, where vineyard plots alternate with woodland and meadows. Of the estate's 35 hectares, only 11 are planted: the rest gives the vineyard room to breathe.
The subsoil is clay and limestone, the same soil type that built the reputation of the Saint-Émilion grands crus close by. Clay holds water and gives flesh to Merlot; limestone brings the freshness and tension that keep the wines from turning heavy. The grape mix follows Bordeaux tradition: mostly Merlot, then Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec for the reds, Sémillon for the whites. In spring 2025 the estate planted Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon to widen its white range.
AOC Bordeaux Supérieur - Vérac (Gironde)
Clay-limestone soils - sustainable farming, HVE level 3 certified
The vineyard averages 28 years of age, at a planting density of 4,500 vines per hectare. Farming is sustainable and has been certified Haute Valeur Environnementale level 3 since 2018.
What HVE level 3 actually means
Haute Valeur Environnementale is a certification issued by the French state. Level 3, the most demanding of the three, is granted after an audit covering four areas: biodiversity, reduction of plant protection products, fertiliser management and water management. It is not organic farming, and the estate makes no such claim: it is a demanding framework for sustainable viticulture, verified by an independent body.
In practice it means a vineyard where spraying is kept to a minimum, where the plot is looked at before the sprayer comes out, and where the hedges, woods and meadows around the vines count as much as the rows themselves. Château L'Éperon has been certified since 2018 and belongs to the Vignerons Indépendants network, which brings together estates that grow, vinify and sell their own wine.
In the cellar: precision, and a Right Bank consultant
Grapes are picked and sorted before going into vat. Fermentation runs under controlled temperature, which preserves the fruit and draws out tannins without forcing them. Ageing then takes place in French oak barrels: six months for the Château L'Éperon cuvée, a deliberately measured spell that adds volume without burying the Merlot under wood.
To refine that approach the estate works with Maxime Tach, a grower and consulting oenologist at Oenolab, the practice in which Hubert de Boüard, owner of Château Angélus in Saint-Émilion, is a partner. His job is to help the team sharpen the style of each cuvée and bring out what is distinctive about the Vérac terroir, rather than apply a formula.
The Château L'Éperon wines
Twelve wines, from age-worthy Bordeaux Supérieur to sparkling Crémant, by way of a rosé and two whites. Here is what you need to know about each before choosing.
Château L'Éperon red
AOC Bordeaux Supérieur - 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon
The estate's benchmark wine, and its most decorated. Aged six months in French oak, it shows a ruby colour and a generous profile framed by rounded tannins. James Suckling gave it 91/100, and it has won two Gold medals, in Los Angeles and Brussels. Serve at 15 to 18 °C with red meat or a slow-cooked dish. Also available in 1.5 L magnum.
L'Éclat du Château L'Éperon
AOC Bordeaux Supérieur - Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec
Here the blend opens up to Malbec, the grape the estate is working to bring back on the Right Bank. A red whose name says the intention: more colour, more brightness, a generous character. Open it with a good cut of beef or duck breast. Also available in magnum.
L'Éclat Black Edition
AOC Bordeaux Supérieur - red
The dressed-up version of L'Éclat, recognisable by its black label. A Bordeaux Supérieur made for slightly more formal tables, or for gifting.
L'Esprit du Château L'Éperon
AOC Bordeaux Supérieur - red
A cuvée that lives up to its name: it aims to sum up what the estate wants to express of its clay-limestone terroir. A dinner-table red for roast meat or a board of aged cheeses.
Monsieur L'Éperon
AOC Pomerol - red
The one that steps outside the frame: a Pomerol, one of the Right Bank's most sought-after appellations, offered by the estate alongside its Bordeaux Supérieur wines. A wine for occasions you plan well in advance.
Théo & Léo
AOC Bordeaux Supérieur - lighter red
A deliberately lighter red, easy to open on a weeknight without ceremony. The kind of bottle that works equally well with a charcuterie board or a plate of pasta.
Le Merlot
AOC Bordeaux Supérieur - 100% Merlot
The Right Bank's leading grape, on its own. A straightforward cuvée that shows what Merlot gives on the clays of Vérac. Serve lightly chilled, around 16 °C.
Château L'Éperon white
AOC Bordeaux blanc - 100% Sémillon
A dry white from a single grape, Sémillon, the variety that gives white Bordeaux its roundness and texture. Serve well chilled with fish, shellfish or fresh goat's cheese.
La Brise
AOC Bordeaux blanc - dry white
The estate's second white, in a lighter, more aromatic register. An aperitif bottle, or a summer lunch in the shade. Serve at 8 to 10 °C.
Madame L'Éperon
AOC Bordeaux rosé
The house rosé, and the counterpart to Monsieur L'Éperon in the range. Drink it chilled with salads, grilled food or simply as an aperitif.
ELIXA Brut
AOC Crémant de Bordeaux - sparkling white
A Crémant de Bordeaux, made by the traditional method with a second fermentation in bottle. Bordeaux's answer to Champagne, for the aperitif or with dessert.
ELIXA Rosé
AOC Crémant de Bordeaux - sparkling rosé
The rosé version of the estate's Crémant. Serve very cold, around 6 to 8 °C, with red-fruit desserts or right through an aperitif.
Formats: 75 cl bottles across the range, with 1.5 L magnums available for Château L'Éperon and L'Éclat du Château L'Éperon. Note that Monsieur L'Éperon is made in AOC Pomerol and both ELIXA wines in AOC Crémant de Bordeaux, while the other cuvées fall under the Bordeaux Supérieur, Bordeaux blanc and Bordeaux rosé appellations.
What the critics say
The Château L'Éperon red scored 91/100 with James Suckling and won two Gold medals, at the Los Angeles International Wine Competition and the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. The 2018 vintage was selected by the Guide Hachette des Vins, which awarded it one star. The estate also counts Andreas Larsson and Jeb Dunnuck among the critics who have tasted its wines.
“ Des arômes de violette et de myrtille ” - aromas of violet and blueberry, notes the Guide Hachette des Vins on the 2018 vintage.
Straight from the estate, no middleman. Shipping across France and Europe.
Why choose Château L'Éperon wines
A medal-winning red rated 91/100. The Château L'Éperon cuvée combines a James Suckling score, two international Gold medals and a star in the Guide Hachette. Rare at this price point in Bordeaux Supérieur.
Saint-Émilion soils, without the label. Vérac shares the same clay-limestone soils as the grands crus next door. You get the Right Bank signature in more affordable appellations.
Certified farming, not just advertised. The HVE level 3 certification, obtained in 2018, is issued by the French state and checked by an independent body. It is an audit, not a marketing line.
A full range, from Crémant to Pomerol. Twelve cuvées covering every moment: the aperitif, the weeknight dinner, the special table. Enough to build a small cellar from a single grower.
Directly from the grower. You order with no middleman, the bottles leave the estate and arrive at your door. Shipping across France and Europe.
Your questions about Château L'Éperon
Where is Château L'Éperon located?
Château L'Éperon is in Vérac, Gironde (33240), on Bordeaux's Right Bank, a few kilometres from Saint-Émilion. The address is 701 route de Virlès. The estate is fifteen minutes from Libourne station and about thirty minutes from Bordeaux-Mérignac airport.
Who is the winegrower at Château L'Éperon?
Olivier Bonnélye is the estate's managing director and winegrower. A biochemist by training, he worked in the pharmaceutical and logistics industries before returning to study at AgroSup and becoming co-owner of the château in 2021. He works with Nathalie Bonnélye, sales director, who holds a master's in Wine Business and Hospitality and WSET Level 3, and Maria Deyonker, a former banking executive in charge of hospitality.
Where does the name Château L'Éperon come from?
The name comes from the rooster's spur, éperon in French. According to local legend, the Duke of Chambord, a keen follower of cockfighting, set up his hunting lodge on these lands in 1810 and gave them the name. The rooster has been the estate's emblem ever since and appears on every bottle.
Which appellations does Château L'Éperon produce?
The estate works mainly in AOC Bordeaux Supérieur. It also makes whites in AOC Bordeaux blanc, a rosé in AOC Bordeaux rosé, two sparkling wines in AOC Crémant de Bordeaux, and one cuvée in AOC Pomerol, Monsieur L'Éperon.
Which grape varieties are planted at Château L'Éperon?
The reds are based on Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec; the whites on Sémillon. The Château L'Éperon red, for example, blends 85% Merlot with 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. In spring 2025 the estate planted Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon to develop its white range.
Are Château L'Éperon wines organic?
No, the estate is not certified organic. It has held Haute Valeur Environnementale level 3 certification since 2018. HVE is a French state certification assessing four areas: biodiversity, reduction of plant protection products, fertilisation and water management. Level 3 is the most demanding of the three.
What awards have Château L'Éperon wines won?
The Château L'Éperon red scored 91/100 from James Suckling and won a Gold medal at the Los Angeles International Wine Competition as well as a Gold medal at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. The 2018 vintage received one star in the Guide Hachette des Vins. The estate also cites Andreas Larsson and Jeb Dunnuck among the critics who have tasted its wines.
How long can you keep a Château L'Éperon Bordeaux Supérieur?
A Bordeaux Supérieur from the estate generally drinks well within five to eight years of the vintage, with the best years going further. Store bottles lying down, away from light, somewhere cool and stable, ideally between 12 and 14 °C. The whites, rosé and Crémants are best drunk young, on the fruit.
At what temperature should Château L'Éperon wines be served?
Serve the reds between 15 and 18 °C, the range recommended for the Château L'Éperon cuvée. The straight Merlot benefits from being slightly cooler, around 16 °C. For the whites, count on 8 to 10 °C, and 6 to 8 °C for the ELIXA Crémants and the Madame L'Éperon rosé.
What food goes with Château L'Éperon wines?
The Merlot-led Bordeaux Supérieur reds suit red meat, slow-cooked dishes, roast poultry and aged cheeses. The 100% Sémillon white pairs with fish, shellfish and fresh goat's cheese. The rosé and the Crémants belong with the aperitif, grilled food or red-fruit desserts.
Which Château L'Éperon wine makes a good gift?
For a gift, the Château L'Éperon red is the safest choice: it is the estate's most awarded wine and comes in a 1.5 L magnum, a format that always makes an impression. L'Éclat Black Edition, with its black label, also gives well. For a real occasion, Monsieur L'Éperon, in AOC Pomerol, remains the special-occasion bottle.
Can you visit Château L'Éperon?
Yes. The estate welcomes visitors all year for guided tastings, vineyard and cellar tours by appointment, wine workshops, horseback rides through the vines with tasting stops, private dinners and corporate events. Two guest houses allow you to stay on site: La Maison L'Éperon, with five en-suite bedrooms, a private pool, a pétanque court and a barbecue, and L'Éperonnette, with three bedrooms overlooking the vines and a private pool.
Where can you buy Château L'Éperon wines directly from the estate?
Château L'Éperon wines are available directly from the grower on Avenue des Vins, the marketplace connecting wine lovers with French independent estates without a middleman. You choose your cuvée, the bottles leave the estate and are shipped to France and to eligible European countries.
Short supply chain: from the Vérac cellar to your table, with no middleman.
Château L'Éperon - 701 route de Virlès, 33240 Vérac (Gironde, France). A 35-hectare estate with 11 hectares of vines in AOC Bordeaux Supérieur, HVE level 3 certified and a member of the Vignerons Indépendants.
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Sémillon - twelve wines, from Crémant to Pomerol