Buzet

Nearby, Europe’s largest forest pleasantly moderates the oceanic climate. The climate and soils, ideal for grapevines—qualities appreciated by Bacchus—have fostered the planting and development of one of France’s oldest vineyards. Today, the Buzet vineyard spans 2,000 hectares of productive land, stretching across 40 kilometers of hillsides. 

The wines offered by the Gueyze Castle are a perfect example of the nobility of the Buzet appellation.

Le Buzet, an historic vineyard with character

Although the town's main economic activity has been focused on viticulture since the Middle Ages, Buzet wine has only recently experienced a real boom. In fact, it was after the creation of the cooperative of the Winemakers of Buzet It was in the 1950s that wine—and especially the Red Buzet has made a name for itself. Today, it is shipped all over the world. The Buzet wine was granted the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée designation in 1973. 

Located in Gascony, in the Lot-et-Garonne department, the vineyards cover an area of more than 1,900 hectares.

A region deeply rooted in respect for nature

The winemaking methods used for Buzet wines are an integral part of the terroir. Every step of the production process is designed to preserve biodiversity. The AOC specifications encourage winemakers to limit yields in favor of quality. As a result, planting density is capped at 4,000 vines per hectare, and each vine must have its own space of 250 square centimeters. Some Buzet wines, such as Château de Gueyze Buzet, make the well-being of the vines and respect for biodiversity their top priorities. On this estate, the vines benefit from the playing of music, and the Gueyze vineyard takes pride in the rich biodiversity that thrives alongside its wines.

The oceanic climate produces full-bodied, complex wines

With slightly more sunshine than the national average and lower rainfall—which is concentrated mainly in late spring—the vineyard is ideally situated. The hillsides on which it is planted provide the mineral-rich soil, high in limestone and clay, that gives the wine its distinctive character. Although the Buzet Vineyard Although it produces white wine, this production remains relatively limited compared to Buzet's red wine, which accounts for more than 95% of the total bottling. The grape varieties of the red Buzet wine These include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and, to a lesser extent, Côt and Malbec, which give Buzet wine its distinctive body.

Aged wines renowned for their quality

Although the Buzet wine Although it is not a wine meant to be cellared for many years, certain cuvées and vintages produce wines with quite respectable aging potential, comparable to some Bordeaux wines. A prime example is the cuvée from the winery in Buzet 2012 which is now reaching its peak. To fully enjoy its potential, it is recommended to serve Buzet red wine at a temperature of 16 to 17 degrees, paired with poultry or red meat.