Portraits of winemakers

MARIE-CHRISTINE AND PATRICK GONZALES, CHÂTEAU GESSAN: CHAMPENOIS IN SAINT-ÉMILION

The Genesis of Château Gessan

For over a decade, Marie-Christine and Patrick Gonzales have left their native Champagne to settle in the Bordeaux wine region. "We moved to Saint-Émilion because Patrick's father was a winemaker and owned vineyards in the area," says Marie-Christine. After more than 30 years running a restaurant, the couple decided to change their lifestyle. Taking over the family estate in Saint-Émilion appeared as a genuine opportunity. That was in 2002.

From Restaurant to Vineyard: A New Adventure

"Our experience in the restaurant industry had made us sensitive to wine, and we were already passionate about oenology. But stepping into a vineyard was uncharted territory for us. It's one thing to know how to taste wine, but it's another to make and market it!" comments Marie-Christine. When they arrived at Château Gessan, Marie-Christine and Patrick enrolled in oenology courses and attended several workshops, while learning on the job with the expert advice of oenologist Stéphane Toutoundji. In 2003, the couple released their very first cuvée.

"Young Wines to Enjoy Within Five Years"

Spanning 24 hectares of vines in the prestigious Saint-Émilion appellation, the Château Gessan vineyard thrives on a terroir of gravelly and sandy soils. Château Gessan produces around 1300 hectoliters per year, with two-thirds in the Saint-Émilion appellation and one-third in Saint-Émilion Grand Cru. Within the estate, tasks are evenly divided: Patrick makes the wine, and Marie-Christine handles its marketing. "Our goal is to produce wines that reflect the richness of the Saint-Émilion terroir: very fruity and slightly oaky. Our wines are relatively young and meant to be enjoyed within five years, though they also have an interesting aging potential," explains the couple.

Harvesting is done mechanically, a practice the winemaking couple finds advantageous: "It allows us to work faster given the size of our vineyard. It's also a good alternative since it's not always easy to find seasonal harvesters. Moreover, new machines have quite sophisticated sorting systems."

5 Hectares of Vines in Champagne

Although Marie-Christine and Patrick do not currently plan to leave Bordeaux for a return to Champagne, they have not completely severed ties with their roots. They remotely manage a small 5-hectare vineyard planted on the Côte des Blancs in Oger, Marne. Each year, Patrick handles the harvest and sends the grapes to a cooperative cellar for bottling. "Producing two wines in two different appellations is quite practical because we can offer both red wine and champagne to the restaurants that approach us, which is quite complementary," notes Marie-Christine. "It also allows us to enjoy a variety of tasting experiences, which is always pleasant!" adds the winemaker.