The Domain
The château
The Domain
The property’s emblem
For the labels, an emblem has been created to portray the château’s elegance and history. The property is represented by a line drawing that highlights these characteristics.
The blazon shows the coat of arms of the Counts of Pellegrue, the château’s first owners. The background of the blazon and the bottle capsule is azure, a symbol of nobility.
The “Cadran” labels portray a sundial, whose hour-lines have served to tell the time since antiquity. A similar sundial greets visitors at the entrance to the château, where they are welcomed by Margaret Delbeke. It also symbolizes the alternating seasons and patience rewarded. And of course, there is a nod to watchmaking, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s other domain of expertise.
Rodin’s quote, of which Karl-Friedrich Scheufele is very fond, “What is done with time, time will respect”, also embodies notions of perseverance and respect for nature.
The chateau’s history
Château Monestier La Tour is a very old property in the Bergerac region, overlooking the small village of Monestier, a few rows of vines from the department of the Gironde to the west, and the wine-producing commune of Saussignac to the east.
Known today for its wines, Monestier was originally a medieval fort, and there are still some parts that date back to the 13th century. Its architecture evolved over the centuries towards an elegant Renaissance style, although the high tower that looks out over the estate preserves some of its medieval character, under the influence of Viollet de Duc.
In 1994, Château Monestier La Tour suffered major damage in a fire, and did not rise from the ashes until 1998, thanks to work carried out by Philip de Haseth-Moller, a Dutch businessman, who acquired it at that time. He renovated the buildings and restructured the vineyard.
The property is gradually establishing itself among the ranks of Bergerac’s finest wines, and proudly occupies its place in the heart of the rolling hills that surround it. To restore the beauty of the external features, the landscape architecture at Château Monestier La Tour has slowly been redesigned by the Scheufele family, in collaboration with the landscape architect Mr. Varin.
The landscape surrounding the property has also been remodelled. The aim is to preserve the quality of the surrounding countryside, to promote polyculture (a mixture of vines, meadows, hedges and copses, small woods, and cultivated land) and to create a mosaic of plots. Certain features, such as fruit trees, which are very important in the Dordogne, have been preserved. Decorative plum and apple trees are planted purely for their aesthetic value, no fruit is harvested.
In this way, there is a dialogue at Château Monestier La Tour with the surrounding landscape, that respects the site’s history, the region and its traditions.
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Exquisite details
The entire property has a picture book quality to it. Every nook and cranny at Château Monestier reveals an exquisite attention to detail, from the roof structure of the barrel storage room to the old hinges on the doors and windows, or the paving stones laid one by one.
Everything fits perfectly with the setting, the natural environment, and the site’s history. Work has been, and continues to be, carried out by local artisans who are deeply committed to their craft, and who bring new life to the expertise that has been passed down to them.
