France, Bordeaux

Haut-Médoc Cinquième cru 1855 Despite being listed as a 5th Growth in the 1855 classification, Château Belgrave's reputation for great wine-making is very recent. It is only since it came under the Dourthe umbrella that serious advances have been made in the vineyards, production techniques and, consequently, the finished wine. The estate is in the commune of St Laurent-Médoc and, therefore, only entitled to the Haut-Médoc appellation. However, only a small stream seperates the vineyards from St Julien, and the gravel soils are very much the same. Whilst the name might appear to derive from these same gravelly soils, apparently it dates from the time of an English owner who named his vineyard after the London district of Belgravia! Since the Dourthe take-over the vineyards have been gradually replanted to a more Médoc-like 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, whilst the proportion of Merlot has shrunk to just over 40%, with the rest made up of a little Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.