The story of Chateau Beausejour, nestled in the heart of Puisseguin St Emilion, is entwined firmly with the evolution of viticulture in the 20th century. When synthetic pesticides and herbicides first appeared on the market and France embraced these new products with open arms, the head of Chateau Beausejour, Alain Dupuy, spent time examining the effects of the new farming products on the market. He came to the conclusion that the potential dangers to workers and consumers alike outweighed any benefits. Before “organic” viticulture became an established practice, Alain’s approach was groundbreaking and set the stage for the winery’s future success.

In 1995, Alain’s son, Gerard Dupuy, joined the family business and pursued organic certification from Ecocert. Gerard remains committed to the organic principles of winemaking, avoiding chaptalization, acidification, or any alteration to the wines. Since his children (Victor, Manu and Camille) have joined him, they have taken this commitment to natural farming and biodiversity further, converting to biodynamics and obtaining Demeter certification.

They have expanded their holdings significantly, purchasing vines in the Cote de Castillon as well as in Bergerac. They bottle the Castillon fruit on its own as the Domaine de la Grande Courraye, as well as blend with the Bergerac vines to create the Vin de France ‘Empreintes’ wines. The Chateau Beausejour signature style includes a 48-hour cold soak, followed by a 2-3 week low-temperature natural yeast fermentation. Their Chateaux Beauséjour are aged for 12-24 months in oak barrels, with 30% being new, preserving the legacy of excellence and passion for the craft that began generations ago.