Château les Farcies du Pech

Château Les Farcies du Pech: AOP Pécharmant Wines, an exceptional terroir at the gates of Bergerac

In the heart of Périgord Pourpre, on sun-drenched hillsides overlooking Bergerac, Château Les Farcies du Pech embodies everything that Pécharmant does best: a centuries-old terroir, a committed approach to viticulture and wines of character that deserve a place in the finest cellars.

A rebirth at the heart of Bergerac's oldest vineyard

After decades of neglect, the vines of Château Les Farcies du Pech were brought back to life in 2000 thanks to the determination of Serge and Betty Dubard. Within a few years, their wines reclaimed their prestige and established themselves among the finest references of the Pécharmant appellation. Today, Fix and Blandine Lesot have taken over the reins of this living heritage. Their ambition is both humble and demanding: to carry forward an ancestral know-how while forging their own path, guided by a deep respect for the natural balance of the land.

"A great wine is not the work of one man, it is the result of a constant and refined tradition."

A project rooted in life and the future

The vision of Fix and Blandine Lesot extends well beyond wine production. Their commitment rests on tee founding pillars:

• Gradually transitioning the estate to organic farming, working towards a healthy and sustainable agriculture in the Périgord.
• Protecting the estate's 20 hectares of biodiversity, meadows, woodland and an orchard, that surround the vines and shelter remarkable flora and fauna.
• Playing an active role in the local economy and the international reputation of the Bergerac region in the world of wine.

Pécharmant: the charming hill of the Périgord

The name Pécharmant comes from the Celtic language, pech means hill, and translates as "the charming hill". The oldest appellation in the Bergerac area, Pécharmant covers 400 hectares to the north-east of Bergerac, on the right bank of the Dordogne, in the heart of Périgord Pourpre. Its singular soil gives the wines a refined minerality found nowhere else in the region.

Château Les Farcies du Pech:  AOC Pécharmant, Bergerac

Taken over in 2021 by Blandine and François-Xavier Lesot, Château Les Farcies du Pech is one of the most distinctive estates in the AOC Pécharmant appellation. Nestled on the right bank of the Dordogne, its signature terroir, Périgord sands and gravels over an impermeable clay subsoil known as "Tran", produces age-worthy wines of refined minerality and strong character.

Appellation: AOC Pécharmant, Bergerac, Dordogne

Vines: 15 hectares in organic conversion

Biodiversity: 20 hectares preserved, meadows, woodland, orchard

Grape varieties: Merlot · Malbec · Cabernet Franc · Cabernet Sauvignon · Touriga Nacional

Terroir: Périgord sands and gravels over impermeable “Tran” clay

Prestige cuvée: ELIXIR

Everyday cuvée: Les Farcies du Pech 2020

Philosophy: Balance, biodiversity, minimal inputs, wines that are pleasurable and sometimes off the beaten track

Five grape varieties, including the rare Touriga Nacional, a Portuguese variety embraced by the estate as a mark of its creative freedom. Two thirds of the property given back to nature.

Fully south-facing, the vines of Château Les Farcies du Pech enjoy exceptional sunshine that promotes even ripening across the vineyard. The clay-limestone soil, a hallmark of Pécharmant, delivers the elegant minerality that sets the estate's wines apart from other reds in the Bergerac area.

Four grape varieties for an outstanding blend

The signature of Pécharmant lies in the harmonious balance of four complementary grape varieties, each contributing its own unique character to the final wine:

Merlot: Generosity & Roundness

The backbone of the blend, Merlot delivers a supple, generous texture with aromas of black cherry, ripe red fruits and plum. It makes the wines of Château Les Farcies du Pech approachable from an early age while laying the foundation for a beautiful evolution.

Cabernet Sauvignon: Structure & Depth

The architect of the blend, Cabernet Sauvignon provides framework and complexity through an elegant aromatic bouquet of blackcurrant, roasted almond, liquorice, cedar and a hint of blond tobacco. It ensures the wine's ageing potential and overall depth.

Cabernet Franc: Finesse & Freshness

An ancient variety with silky tannins, Cabernet Franc brings lightness and freshness: strawberry, redcurrant, violet and a characteristic peppery note. It refines and softens the sometimes austere character of the two Cabernets.

Malbec (Côt noir): Colour & Power

A great South-West variety, Malbec contributes intense colour, density and power. Its aromas of blackberry, blueberry and black cherry blend with notes of liquorice and tobacco. Its outstanding ageing ability makes it an essential component of the estate's long-lived cuvées.

Oak barrel ageing: time as an ally

After harvest, the wines of Château Les Farcies du Pech are carefully aged in oak barrels under the watchful eye of the team. This slow, controlled maturation builds the wine's complexity, smooths its contours and creates the broad, refined aromatic palette that is the hallmark of great Pécharmant. The vines, tended in a reasoned way to preserve soil life and the surrounding biodiversity, yield healthy grapes that are naturally rich in tannins.

Tasting notes and food pairings: the pleasures of a great ageing wine

Visual and aromatic profile

The wines of Château Les Farcies du Pech are immediately recognisable by their deep, dark and dense garnet robe. On the nose, black fruits open up over an elegant mineral backdrop inherited from the clay-limestone soil. On the palate, the attack is forthright, the tannins smooth and the finish long and persistent.

Ageing potential

Enjoyable from their third year, these wines reach their full expression between 6 and 7 years. Over time, delicate nuances of blond tobacco, undergrowth and preserved cherry emerge, reflecting the richness of the terroir. Some cuvées can be cellared for over 10 years at a steady temperature of 12–14°C.

Food and wine pairings

• Game and hunting dishes: venison, wild boar, braised hare
• Generous red meats: slow-cooked beef, roast milk-fed lamb, duck breast
• Périgord cuisine: duck confit, Sarladaise potatoes, pan-fried foie gras
• Aged cheeses: Roquefort, mature Comté, Ossau-Iraty

Ideal serving temperature: 17–18°C - Decanting recommended for young vintages (30 to 45 minutes).

Frequently asked questions about Château Les Farcies du Pech

What is the AOP Pécharmant appellation and what makes it unique ?

AOP Pécharmant is the oldest and most prestigious appellation in the Bergerac area. Covering 400 hectares to the north-east of Bergerac on the right bank of the Dordogne, its distinctiveness comes from a singular soil, sands, gravels and clays over a limestone base known as "tran", which gives the wines a refined minerality and an exceptional ageing potential found nowhere else in the region.

Which grape varieties are used at the estate ?

Château Les Farcies du Pech blends four complementary varieties: Merlot for suppleness and red fruit character, Cabernet Sauvignon for structure and aromatic complexity, Cabernet Franc for finesse and floral notes, and Malbec (Côt noir) for intense colour, density and longevity. This balance is the very signature of the Pécharmant appellation.

Is the estate committed to organic farming ?

Yes. Fix and Blandine Lesot are progressively transitioning Château Les Farcies du Pech to organic agriculture. The vines are managed in a reasoned way, without unnecessary inputs, with full respect for the soil and biodiversity. The 20 hectares of meadows, woodland and orchard maintained within the estate are a sincere expression of their commitment to a living and sustainable viticulture in the Périgord.

How long can these wines be kept in the cellar ?

These are genuine cellaring wines, enjoyable from their third year but reaching their full complexity between 6 and 7 years. With age, the black fruit aromas evolve towards notes of blond tobacco, undergrowth and preserved cherry. Some cuvées can be kept for over 10 years in a well-maintained cellar at 12–14°C.

What dishes pair best with a Pécharmant from Les Farcies du Pech ?

The estate's wines pair naturally with the great dishes of Périgord cuisine: grilled or braised game, duck breast, slow-roasted lamb, beef stew and aged cheeses such as Roquefort or mature Comté. Serve at 17–18°C and decant young vintages to open up the aromas fully.

Why order on Avenue des Vins ?

On Avenue des Vins, you order directly from Fix and Blandine Lesot. Your bottles are packed and shipped from the estate's own cellar in Bergerac, fresh vintage, full traceability and a fair price with no middleman between the winemaker and your cellar.