A natural setting
The organic transition
and the virtues of nature's cycle
When Thierry and Annette Bellagamba acquired the Domaine in 2016, they aspired to make it a Domaine where ecology would not just be a passing fad but rather a state of mind underpinning everything done on the Domaine.
This gamble came to fruition in 2022 when it was awarded the Bio (organic) label.
At present, the Château des Lys vineyard covers nearly 18 hectares farmed in an entirely organic manner.
Julien, who has a vested interest, conducts his wine-growing and making practices with this environmental aim in mind.
Château des Lys can now pride itself on being one of the rare Bergerac vineyards that has gone so far in its environmental approach.
Nesting boxes, replanted hedges and bug hotels complement these farming practices adopted by the Domaine to encourage and intensify biodiversity and the development of local species on its land.
Respect for the living
Many improvements have been made at Château des Lys.
They aim to promote biodiversity and the beneficial and natural interactions between animals and plants.
For instance, several hundred metres of hedges have been planted on the domaine. Comprising twenty or so local species of trees, shrubs and bushes, these hedges offer the beneficial fauna a top-quality and cushion the effects of wind.
In the same spirit, nearly a hundred nesting boxes have been put up on the edges of the plots.
The blue tits and great tits that nest there are fabulous allies for the vines.
Their fledglings are partial to insects like grape leaf hoppers or eudemis moths (grape worms), both of which can cause serious damage to vineyards.
Bug hotels and low stone walls also offer shelter to a wide variety of beneficial fauna (insects, snakes, hedgehogs, field mice, etc.), which naturally regulate predators of the vines.
Each gesture counts
For sustainable wine-growing respectful of nature, Château des Lys applies no synthetic substances to its vines. Even contact materials like copper (traditionally used in organic farming to protect vineyards against fungi like mildew and powdery mildew) are used sparingly.
"We are farmers and wine growers, wine growers by cultivating the soil and the vines, and farmers through our upkeep of the landscape, which involves putting in place hedges, fallow land, meadows, water holes and low dry-stone walls that mitigate the impact of vine monoculture."
Revealing the essence
of generous land
Pécharmant land
Situated on the hillsides to the north of Bergerac, the Château des Lys extends over nearly 23 hectares.
Vines and orchards surround the Domaine's farm buildings, as does the Chartreuse de Peyrelevade. This old mansion typical of the region dates from the 17th century, its name being derived from a standing stone that can still be seen at the edge of the property.
When the vineyard was restructured, the Domaine's soil and subsoil was surveyed to determine which types of vine and rootstock suit them best.
As a result, the high area of the Domaine is now planted with red grape varieties.
This clayey limestone soil marbled with ferruginous ochre veins is ideally suited to Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. These grape varieties draw all the strength of their aromas from the soil.
In the more chalky low area of the Domaine, white grape varieties like Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Muscadelle have been planted, benefiting from the coolness and minerality of the soil.
Grape varieties and flavours
The richness of the Pécharmant produced by Château des Lys comes from harmonious blending of the three red grape varieties grown on the Domaine: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
Listed in the technical specifications of the Pécharmant appellation, these three grape varieties thrive particularly well in the clayey limestone soil of the Périgord.
Respect for the fruit
The efforts made in the plots of vines continue in the cellar. In the wine-making process, the exacting standards of Château des Lys exceed the standards imposed by organic farming.
The aim is not just to produce healthy wine, but also to rediscover the natural expression of the terroir.
