Wines & Wine tourism
Diversity of Wine Tasting in Languedoc
Vignobles Bonfils
A key player in the Languedoc Roussillon, the Bonfils family has written and is part of the history of this beautiful wine region. Their creativity and quest for excellence have been transmitted from generation to generation. In the 19th century, Joseph Bonfils was forced into exile in Algeria, where he met his future wife Honorine Doveaux. It was Honorine who established the family farm in the Oran region, planting the first of many vines, without knowing at the time that she was growing the Bonfils legacy.
The visionary Jean-Michel Bonfils introduced new winemaking techniques to the Languedoc Roussillon in the 1960’s. He planted some of the first Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, noble grape varieties which were relatively unheard of in the region at that time. The last twenty years have been marked by the work of his sons, Laurent and Jérôme Bonfils, who have made considerable contributions to shaping Languedoc Roussillon as a land of elite wines. Laurent Bonfils is now at the helm of the company. His self-proclaimed mission is to express and cultivate the uniqueness of the wines crafted from each of the family’s 17 estates, while ensuring the cultural and historical heritage of each property. Committed to sustainable farming for future generations, the Bonfils family continues to forge the future of winegrowing.
A key player in the Languedoc Roussillon, the Bonfils family has written and is part of the history of this beautiful wine region. Their creativity and quest for excellence have been transmitted from generation to generation. In the 19th century, Joseph Bonfils was forced into exile in Algeria, where he met his future wife Honorine Doveaux. It was Honorine who established the family farm in the Oran region, planting the first of many vines, without knowing at the time that she was growing the Bonfils legacy.
The visionary Jean-Michel Bonfils introduced new winemaking techniques to the Languedoc Roussillon in the 1960’s. He planted some of the first Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, noble grape varieties which were relatively unheard of in the region at that time. The last twenty years have been marked by the work of his sons, Laurent and Jérôme Bonfils, who have made considerable contributions to shaping Languedoc Roussillon as a land of elite wines. Laurent Bonfils is now at the helm of the company. His self-proclaimed mission is to express and cultivate the uniqueness of the wines crafted from each of the family’s 17 estates, while ensuring the cultural and historical heritage of each property. Committed to sustainable farming for future generations, the Bonfils family continues to forge the future of winegrowing.
History of the estate
Château Les Carrasses was built in 1886 by the De-Zelicourt family, a noble family from Toulouse. They commissioned the famous Bordeaux architect Louis-Michel Garros to build a modern estate on his land in the commune of Quarante. Garros carried out in an eclectic style Les Carrasses which emerged as an important property, producing approx. 700,000 liters of wine per year, mainly red.
The turn of the century proved to be the high point of this prosperous period, with overproduction and cheap imports of wine from Algeria rapidly driving down prices. A clean water supply, two world wars, changing tastes and the emergence of New World wines impacted the production of Les Carrasses, like many others the estate continued to produce as, selling by selling its production on a indifferent market, leading to its gradual decline.
The Château remained in the De-Zelicourt family until 2008 when it was sold to Karl and Anita O'Hanlon, who were looking for an estate to transform it into an exceptional tourist destination that would fit perfectly into the landscape.
Château Les Carrasses was built in 1886 by the De-Zelicourt family, a noble family from Toulouse. They commissioned the famous Bordeaux architect Louis-Michel Garros to build a modern estate on his land in the commune of Quarante. Garros carried out in an eclectic style Les Carrasses which emerged as an important property, producing approx. 700,000 liters of wine per year, mainly red.
The turn of the century proved to be the high point of this prosperous period, with overproduction and cheap imports of wine from Algeria rapidly driving down prices. A clean water supply, two world wars, changing tastes and the emergence of New World wines impacted the production of Les Carrasses, like many others the estate continued to produce as, selling by selling its production on a indifferent market, leading to its gradual decline.
The Château remained in the De-Zelicourt family until 2008 when it was sold to Karl and Anita O'Hanlon, who were looking for an estate to transform it into an exceptional tourist destination that would fit perfectly into the landscape.
Vineyard & wines
Château Les Carrasses is a remarkable wine estate with its panoramic view over the vineyards, beyond the winding Canal du Midi and the Pyrenees.
The vineyard benefits from the Mediterranean climate swept by the winds, the Marin and the Tramontane, and benefits from more than 2,500 hours of sunshine per year.
The vines extend over 63.2 hectares around the castle, with clay-limestone, clay-loam and siliceous soils where different grape varieties are expressed: Chardonnay, Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, ..., offering pleasure, pure and elegant wines in AOP Languedoc and IGP Pays d'Oc.
CARRASSES
(IGP PAYS D’OC)
The Les Carrasses range of wines offers a harmonious and elegant Syrah, a spicy and fresh un-barreled Chardonnay, and a fruity Pinot Noir Rosé.
LA SERRE
(AOC LANGUEDOC)
Our flagship wines "La Serre" are made with specially selected grapes of exceptional quality, almost all of the production is sold directly to Carrasses. The white is an elegant blend of Grenache blanc, Vermentino, Marsanne and Viognier. La Serre Rouge is a silky and sophisticated blend of Syrah and Grenache aged in oak barrels for 11 months.
The estate's wines can be tasted in our restaurant or at the bar and are also available to take away from our shop/cellar.
A wider range of wines is available to you because you can find a selection of wines from other Bonfils estates in the restaurant, at the bar and to take away from our shop.
Château Les Carrasses is a remarkable wine estate with its panoramic view over the vineyards, beyond the winding Canal du Midi and the Pyrenees.
The vineyard benefits from the Mediterranean climate swept by the winds, the Marin and the Tramontane, and benefits from more than 2,500 hours of sunshine per year.
The vines extend over 63.2 hectares around the castle, with clay-limestone, clay-loam and siliceous soils where different grape varieties are expressed: Chardonnay, Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, ..., offering pleasure, pure and elegant wines in AOP Languedoc and IGP Pays d'Oc.
CARRASSES
(IGP PAYS D’OC)
The Les Carrasses range of wines offers a harmonious and elegant Syrah, a spicy and fresh un-barreled Chardonnay, and a fruity Pinot Noir Rosé.
LA SERRE
(AOC LANGUEDOC)
Our flagship wines "La Serre" are made with specially selected grapes of exceptional quality, almost all of the production is sold directly to Carrasses. The white is an elegant blend of Grenache blanc, Vermentino, Marsanne and Viognier. La Serre Rouge is a silky and sophisticated blend of Syrah and Grenache aged in oak barrels for 11 months.
The estate's wines can be tasted in our restaurant or at the bar and are also available to take away from our shop/cellar.
A wider range of wines is available to you because you can find a selection of wines from other Bonfils estates in the restaurant, at the bar and to take away from our shop.
The Domaine of Château Les Carrasses
The Languedoc remains one of France's most emblematic wine regions. Whether you're an amateur or an expert, you'll enjoy discovering the wines of the region, and in particular those of Château Les Carrasses and Vignobles Bonfils, through a wide and varied range of wine tourism activities.
The programme includes fun and gourmet activities such as walking or cycling along vineyard paths, accompanied by a picnic or a made-to-measure wine tasting in your private villa...
The Languedoc remains one of France's most emblematic wine regions. Whether you're an amateur or an expert, you'll enjoy discovering the wines of the region, and in particular those of Château Les Carrasses and Vignobles Bonfils, through a wide and varied range of wine tourism activities.
The programme includes fun and gourmet activities such as walking or cycling along vineyard paths, accompanied by a picnic or a made-to-measure wine tasting in your private villa...
