Château Roquefort

Château Roquefort: A Living Vineyard in the Heart of Entre-Deux-Mers

A few rolling hills from Bordeaux, Château Roquefort is far more than a wine estate: it is a place shaped by 6,000 years of history, nestled on a limestone plateau surrounded by forests, pastures and vineyards. Covering nearly 240 hectares, including over 100 hectares of vines, the estate thrives in a haven of biodiversity where nature is not a backdrop but a daily ally.

Here, wine is cultivated like heritage: with respect, precision and a generous dose of passion.

A Millennia-Old History, from the Neolithic to the Bellanger Family

Long before the vines, women and men had already settled on this land. In the Neolithic era, they chose this rocky promontory with steep slopes, abundant springs and natural defenses. The 14-meter-long covered alley, a collective tomb still visible at the heart of the estate, is its most spectacular testimony.

Over the centuries, Roquefort became a fortified house in the 13th century, survived the Hundred Years’ War, saw its keep rise, then its 18th-century chartreuse, dovecotes and agricultural buildings. Every stone carries a chapter of this “little Tuscany” of the Entre-Deux-Mers.

In 1976, Jean and Christiane Bellanger fell instantly in love with the estate. The vines had nearly disappeared? No matter: they replanted them patiently, worked with the Bordeaux faculty, modernised the winemaking process and restored brilliance to the name “Château Roquefort”.

Their son Frédéric took over in 1995. With his wife Anne, they expanded the vineyard, strengthened the role of nature, developed new cuvées and rooted the estate even deeper in a sustainable vision. Today, their daughters are learning in turn how to craft great wines… the story continues, still written by the family.

A Unique Architectural and Archaeological Heritage

Château Roquefort includes:

• A Neolithic covered alley, listed and studied by archaeologists,
• A partially restored medieval keep overlooking the landscape,
• An 18th-century dovecote with restored mechanisms,
• An elegant chartreuse surrounded by vines and woods, embodying Bordeaux’s art de vivre.

This heritage is very much alive: tours, events, lectures, archaeological digs and public presentations allow visitors to discover and experience these places.

A Vineyard in Entre-Deux-Mers with Complementary Terroirs

The vineyard of Château Roquefort stretches between the Garonne and Dordogne rivers, across rolling, sunlit hills. Each parcel has its own personality:

• Roquefort Plateau: limestone soils similar to those of Saint-Émilion, ideal for deep, elegant red wines.
• Saint-Brice Parcel: cooler, clay-loam soils producing fresh, aromatic and balanced white wines.
• Castelviel: clay-limestone soils giving powerful, structured reds with strong ageing potential.

Grape Varieties Selected to Enhance the Terroir

Each grape variety is planted according to soil type, exposure and microclimate.

For reds and rosés: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc.

For whites: Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.

Vinification is done parcel by parcel, followed by precise blending to achieve perfect harmony between aromas, tannins and freshness.

The Art of Winemaking at Château Roquefort

From vine to bottle, everything is carried out on-site by dedicated teams. Harvests are carried out plot by plot at optimal ripeness, followed by carefully guided vinification.

Aging takes place in tanks and French oak barrels depending on the cuvée, for 6 to 18 months. Regular tastings track the evolution of each batch, determine the best blends and decide the ideal bottling date at the château.

A Sustainable Estate by Nature and by Conviction

“We are merely caretakers in the history of Roquefort.” This principle guides Anne and Frédéric Bellanger. The estate has been committed to environmental and social responsibility for over a decade:

• Progressive conversion of the vineyard to organic farming,
• Preservation of more than half the property as woods, forests and pastures,
• Participation in the “Bordeaux Cultivons Demain” programme and a CSR label based on ISO 26000,
• Planting grape varieties adapted to climate change (Castets, Arinarnoa),
• Circular economy initiatives such as reusing wooden crates with local partners.

The estate also supports cultural, social and educational initiatives, shining far beyond its vines.

The Wines of Château Roquefort: Reds, Whites and Rosé

The estate’s wines are crafted to accompany both life’s great moments and its simple pleasures.

Red Wines

• Les Roches Blanches Claret: a light, fruity, fresh clairet-style wine.
• Les Roches Blanches Merlot: accessible, smooth and fruit-forward.
• Château Roquefort Red (classic bottle, half-bottle, magnum): the core range—ample, balanced, with a fine Bordeaux structure.
• Grande Cuvée: deeper, gastronomic, with long, elegant ageing.
• Cuvée Roca Forte: concentrated, structured, crafted for ageing.
• Cuvée Jean Bellanger: a prestigious tribute cuvée—precise and refined.

White Wines

• Les Roches Blanches Sauvignon Blanc Organic (also in large formats): crisp, aromatic and ultra-fresh.
• Château Roquefort White Organic: balanced, combining Sauvignon tension and Sémillon roundness.
• Rives Entre-deux-Mers: an aromatic, citrusy dry white wine.
• Roquefort Grand Blanc Organic: ample, elegant and gastronomic.

The Rosé

• Les Roches Blanches Rosé (Cabernet Franc): bright, crisp, with lovely red fruit notes.

Gift Boxes, Large Formats and the Oenotheque

Château Roquefort also cultivates the art of gifting and celebrating:

• Discovery boxes featuring the “Roches Blanches” range,
• Premium, Prestige and “Grandes Cuvées” selections,
• Large formats (magnums, double magnums, jeroboams…) for ageing or large gatherings,
• A limited oenotheque with rare vintages of Roca Forte and large formats.

Lug & Son Spirits: The Estate’s Signature in Cocktail Form

• London Dry Gin: precise and aromatic.
• White Vermouth: ideal for refined aperitifs.
• Red Vermouth: fuller, spicier, perfect for classic cocktails.

The Four Seasons of the Vineyard: A Year of Patient Work

Winter (Nov–Mar): pruning, trellis maintenance, groundwork.

Spring (Mar–May): budburst, tying, soil aeration, debudding.

Summer (May–Aug): flowering, berry set, veraison, canopy management, green harvesting.

Autumn (Sept): plot-by-plot harvest at optimal ripeness—the culmination of a full year of work.

Which Château Roquefort wines should I absolutely taste if I'm discovering the estate for the first time (red, white and rosé) ?