History

The Château has been run by the Iles family since 1998. It is believed that ‘Lezongars’ was the family name of a former owner.

Location


Château Lezongars is situated in the appellation of Premières Côtes de Bordeaux, in the village of Villenave-de-Rions, perched at the top of a limestone escarpment overlooking the River Garonne and the flatter Graves appellation across the river.

The 45 hectares of vines are situated either at the top of the escarpment or on the ideal south facing slopes which make full use of the sun’s ripening qualities.

 

Premières Côtes de Bordeaux

 


Vines have grown in this appellation since Roman times and it was in the Middle Ages that the area’s wine along with that from Graves, helped to establish Bordeaux’s reputation as a wine producer.

 

 

The region comprises a narrow hilly strip on the northern bank of the River Garonne roughly 27 miles long and just 3 miles wide in most places. Rolling hills and deep valleys provide substantial contrast to the flat landscape of the Graves or Medoc regions. The region has a rich history and was a frontier district in the wars between the French and the English, hence the numerous fortified towns and bastides such as Cadillac, Pujols, Sauveterre and Crèon.

The Vineyard

The 45ha of vines planted on the gravel based soil are divided into 22 parcels, providing greater blending opportunities and the development of better quality wines.



The vineyard is mostly planted with red vines of an average age of 25 years: 60% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc. In addition, there are parcels of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon vines.

 

 

 

Since the Iles took over Château Lezongars, there has been considerable change and investment within the vineyards including:

  • 10 ha of new Merlot and Cabernet Franc plantings
  • change in pruning methods to reduce quantity and increase quality of fruit
  • increased planting density to encourage smaller berries and better quality
  • green picking of grapes to expose vines and fruit to more sunlight
  • replacement of dead vines
  • new drainage
  • soil analysis to develop a policy regarding use of fertilizers, minerals and organic material

Winery Facilities

There are two wineries at Château Lezongars - the old winery dates from the 1900’s and a newer winery which was built in the early 1990’s.

The old winery is split into three areas including cement vats, a barrel room and a tasting room.




The new winery has twelve 200 hl stainless steel vats, with an automatic ventilation system. All wooden material has been removed and the interior repainted in neutral organic paint to encourage a ‘clean’ winemaking environment.