Château BÉLAIR has always been ranked at the top of the Premiers Grands Crus Classés of Saint-Emilion and its origins are very old (apparently back to the ancient Gaul).
When Guyenne was under English domination (14th century), the owner was Sir Robert de Knolles, grand seneschal and governor of Guyenne. A century later, after King Charles VII of France reconquered Guyenne, the de Knolles’ descendants gallicized their name into Canolle (hence the previous name of the estate Cru de Canolle, becoming later BÉLAIR) and owned the Château until the French Revolution.
From the beginning of the 19th century, the château gained a solid reputation and was the first in Bordeaux to bottle at the château (1802).
In 1916, the Dubois-Challon family bought the estate and confirmed the name BÉLAIR. After the death of Madame Dubois-Challon in 2003, Monsieur Delbeck inherited the property.
In 2008, Ets. Jean-Pierre MOUEIX purchased the vineyard. The new team started immediately a complete renovation of this beautiful estate. An important effort has been done before the 2008 vintage, allowing the fruit to be of great quality for the first harvest.
In memory of Anne-Adèle MONANGE, married to Jean MOUEIX and first woman in the family to settle in Saint-Emilion in 1931, the vineyard was renamed from the vintage 2008: Château BÉLAIR MONANGE.