2012 Château Belles-Graves

Château Belles-Graves is in Lalande-de-Pomerol. The 43-acre estate dates to the 16th century and was once known as Domaine du Drouilleau. In the early 20th century it was acquired by the Theallet family and is today still owned and operated by the Theallets. The wine is generally 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc.

Lalande-de-Pomerol is a red wine appellation just north of Pomerol. The two main communes are Lalande-de-Pomerol and Néac. As part of the Bordeaux Right Bank, the wines of this appellation are primarily Merlot, with additions of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. Although Lalande-de-Pomerol has historically been considered a lesser appellation than its distinguished neighbor Pomerol, in recent decades Lalande-de-Pomerol has been revitalized as owners of estates in Pomerol also acquire estates in Lalande-de-Pomerol, typically using the same winemakers and viticultural practices for both estates. Without almost 2,600 vineyard acres, Lalande-de-Pomerol is slightly larger than Pomerol. The official appellation was awarded in 1954, although some estates had been using Lalande-de-Pomerol designations on their labels as early as the 1920s.