3 minute read
CHÂTEAU ROQUEFORT
from Earth Day Heroes
by gregoryvine
AOC Entre-deux-Mers
Nestled in a sprawling green valley between the Garonne and Dordogne rivers, Château Roquefort has served as a center of farming life in the heart of Entre-deux-Mers since the Neolithic era. Named after the rocky limestone soils that lie underfoot, Château Roquefort–literally “strong rock” in Old French–and its historic ramparts have undergone significant evolution in recent years. Owners since 1976, the Bellanger family has worked meticulously to restore and enhance the natural heritage of Château Roquefort, always with a respectful eye to the site’s rich legacy. Sustainability and organic practices rank high for Frédéric Bellanger and his wife, Anne. They balance their mission to produce exceptional cuvées with biodiversity; ISO 14001 certified since 2017, the Bellangers have converted their entire 262-acre estate to organic farming practices and are working to complete the next level of certification by eliminating all synthetic treatments.
FRÉDÉRIC & ANNE BELLANGER
Owners
A Forest through the Trees
A significant tenet of the Bellanger’s approach to sustainability is to find the balance between cultivated vines and natural growth, with a large portion of the estate dedicated to forests. Only 45% of the estate is for the vineyard, the rest is forest, woods and fields. The family expanded their commitment to forestry in 2020 by working with a trained ecologist to protect vulnerable plant and animal species living on their land.
Château Roquefort Bordeaux Blanc 2019
The words of French poet and aviation pioneer, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, inspire the Bellanger’s approach to sustainability: Frédéric and Anne Bellanger consider Château Roquefort a living legacy to pass on to their four daughters. As Frédéric’s shares: “We must respect what the earth has given us.”
At Château Roquefort, biodiversity in action means not using chemical weed killers, a choice which protects the health of the soils as well as vineyard employees. Long-time estate manager, Samuel Mestre, has worked with at Roquefort for the past 15 years and has played a pivotal role in enlisting the whole team to reach sustainability milestones. The next step in organic viticulture will involve discontinuing the use of all synthetic products, a layered project that takes years of commitment. “The environmental project has been central to our vision of vineyard sustainability for the past forty years,” Frédéric explains. “The first step began with the launch of the ISO 14001 environmental approach in 2012 and certification in 2014. By 2017, we had ceased chemical weeding and obtained the HVE 3 label. In 2020, we launched the full conversion of our vineyard to organic.” One of the best outcomes of the organic initiative has been the collective support of the Roquefort team – as well as clients and consumers – who all place a high value on organic farming.
From Lighter Bottles to Eco-Conscious Tourism A Benchmark for Biodiversity
In addition to organic farming, the Bellangers have reduced carbon emissions in post-bottling operations. They opt for lightweight bottles for more than 95% of their range and are working on an ecofriendly series that includes recycled paper labels, natural inks and innovative, superlight bottles. The family has also piloted a “slow tourism” program that offers private tours of Château Roquefort in the company of a trained ecologist, allowing visitors to discover the pristine life of the estate and the beauty of Entre-deux-Mers The Bellangers and the team at Château Roquefort are incredibly proud of their journey towards organic farming. Frédéric and Anne realize that the transformation of the estate involves significant work, but the outcome makes it all worthwhile: to reaffirm the legacy of Château Roquefort and become a benchmark for biodiversity in Entre-deux-Mers.
