Château de Briat - Bas-Armagnac
Spirits / Armagnac / Château de Briat
Mauvezin-d'Armagnac, Landes
There are many châteaux in the southwest of France, but few carry a history as storied as Château de Briat. Set on a large garden at the top of a hill in the small Bas-Armagnac commune of Mauvezin d’Armagnac, it stands apart from the humble farms and ramshackle estates more typical of the region — an actual château, in every sense of the word. Built in 1540, it served as the hunting manor of Queen Jeanne d’Albret, born in nearby Nérac some twenty miles away. Her son, Henri de Navarre — later Henri IV, King of France — was a frequent guest, hosting grand hunting parties by day and lively gatherings by night within these ancient walls.
There are many châteaux in the southwest of France, but few carry a history as storied as Château de Briat. Set on a large garden at the top of a hill in the small Bas-Armagnac commune of Mauvezin d’Armagnac, it stands apart from the humble farms and ramshackle estates more typical of the region — an actual château, in every sense of the word. Built in 1540, it served as the hunting manor of Queen Jeanne d’Albret, born in nearby Nérac some twenty miles away. Her son, Henri de Navarre — later Henri IV, King of France — was a frequent guest, hosting grand hunting parties by day and lively gatherings by night within these ancient walls.
In 1587, following the Battle of Coutras, Henri made a gift of the château to Arnaud de Matines, one of his fellow officers who had saved his life in combat. It was a gesture in keeping with the castle’s spirit — a place where loyalty, pleasure, and the land itself were always intertwined. Over the following centuries, the château passed through the hands of several families before arriving at a new chapter.
In 1864, Château de Briat was acquired by Baron Raoul de Pichon-Longueville, a man already well established in the world of fine French wine. His family owned the celebrated vineyard of the same name in Pauillac, whose imposing Renaissance-inspired château had been commissioned in 1851. During the Universal Exhibition of 1855, at the request of Emperor Napoleon III to showcase Bordeaux’s finest wines, Pichon-Longueville was ranked a Second Grand Cru Classé — a distinction that placed it among the most prestigious estates in France. At Briat, Baron Raoul found a different kind of terrain and a different kind of spirit, quite literally. The estate offered an opportunity to blend the family’s winemaking expertise with the traditional distilling culture of Gascony, and he set about enriching that tradition with the know-how accumulated at Pichon-Longueville.
The arrival of the Henri IV, King of France, and a lady friend at Briat. The artist had never been to Briat and painted the castle from a description he had been given.
The family used Briat as a country retreat, faithfully continuing the château’s annual practice of distilling a portion of the harvest and building up its stock of aged Armagnac. When Château de Pichon-Longueville in Bordeaux was eventually sold in 1933 — it would later pass to the insurance company AXA — Château de Briat was retained by Baron Raoul’s maternal descendants, the de Luze family. Their murals still line the walls of the château’s dining room, each one a painted memory of life in the Landes countryside.
In the 1970s, Gilles de Luze was living in Paris, working as an editor at the prestigious Larousse publishing house, where he had spent most of his professional life. When his father-in-law retired in the early 1990s, Gilles found himself drawn to Briat’s cellars and their sleeping reserves of Armagnac. He made a decision that would transform the estate: he returned to Mauvezin d’Armagnac — a commune of just 213 souls — and dedicated himself fully to the family’s production. Gilles brought to Armagnac something it rarely saw: a rare intelligence, a gift for language, and an urbane diplomatic touch in a world populated by proud, hard-headed Gascons. He became an energetic and dignified spokesman for small independent growers, breathing fresh air into the BNIA, Armagnac’s governing bureau, even when tact and restraint did not always produce the desired outcomes.
Lost in a forest in Vermandois, Henri IV met a peasant whose head was covered by a beret and asked him to serve as his guide. While riding together, the peasant queried: "Sir, I have never seen the King, and you are surely one of his first officers, Could I not, by your good grace, perhaps see him today?" "Of course," said Henri. "When we arrive, just stand next to me. Among all those who approach, you will notice that only one will still have his hat on. That will be the King." Finally arriving at their destination, the King's courtiers, who had been worried by his absence, hastened to approach him, hats in their hands. Henri did not remove the hat his head, nor did his new friend. Henri looked toward the peasant and said to him: "Now do you see who the King is?" — "Oh my!" exclaimed the flabbergasted peasant. "It's either you or me!"—From the comic opera in 3 acts by Michel-Jean Sedaine entitled Le Roi et le Fermier, performed for the first time in 1762.
His reputation drew in colleagues, and in the years that followed he joined forces with four other leading Bas-Armagnac producers — Yves Grassa of Château de Tariquet, Martine Lafitte of Domaine Boingnères, Jean de Boisesson of Château de Lacquy, and Pierre Laberdolive of Armagnac Laberdolive — to found the Cru Légendaires. The mission of this consortium was clear: to promote traditional, rare, and deluxe cask-strength vintage Armagnacs from independent estates in the Bas-Armagnac, preserving what made the appellation great.
In 2003, tragedy struck. Gilles de Luze and his wife Adeline were killed in an automobile accident on the highway south of Paris, returning home from a producers’ salon in Lyon. He was 53 years old. His loss was felt deeply — not only by his family, but by the small, tightly-knit world of artisan Armagnac producers he had helped to elevate.
In 2003, tragedy struck. Gilles de Luze and his wife Adeline were killed in an automobile accident on the highway south of Paris, returning home from a producers’ salon in Lyon. He was 53 years old. His loss was felt deeply — not only by his family, but by the small, tightly-knit world of artisan Armagnac producers he had helped to elevate.
The entrance to the chai.
Gilles and his Adeline’s only child, Stéphane, had been living in Paris, spending his days in finance — first at Société Générale, working in foreign exchange, then in Barcelona in the accounting department of a private company, and later at E-Trade, which was affiliated with Société Générale. Born in 1972, Stéphane grew up in Paris, studied in the United States at Boston University and Suffolk University in Massachusetts, and had built a career navigating currency markets and computer screens. Suddenly, and with little preparation, he found himself heir to a historic château and its centuries of Armagnac production. His knowledge of distillation was minimal, and the weight of what had been entrusted to him was immense. But Gilles had cultivated friendships that would prove invaluable. The producers of the Cru Légendaires stepped forward, offering Stéphane technical guidance, practical advice, and connections to the suppliers and craftspeople he would need. He also had his father’s meticulous notes to follow.
Gilles de Luze in early 2003.
Slowly at first, Stéphane began to learn his way around the cellar. He started travelling down from Paris more regularly, gradually settling into a rhythm of monthly visits to oversee the barrels and the estate. In 2012, together with his wife — a fashion and fabric designer — he renovated the château itself, creating en-suite bathrooms in every room, redesigning the kitchen, converting the old barn into a beautiful reception space, and restoring a small guest house to welcome visitors properly. Over two decades, Stéphane has grown into his role with quiet determination. As the tenth generation to steward Briat, he continues to release traditional, high-quality Bas-Armagnacs that are a faithful expression of their terroir.
Gilles took part in local politics, and here are some signs congratulating him on being elected.
Unlike many Armagnac producers, Stéphane has chosen to exclude ugni blanc entirely from his plantings — a deliberate commitment to character over volume. His 8.5 hectares of vines are planted on sables fauves, the light, iron-rich sandy soils that are the hallmark of the finest Bas-Armagnac terroir, and divided among three varieties: 3 hectares of folle blanche, 3 hectares of baco, and 2.5 hectares of colombard, a variety that yields generously and adds freshness and aromatic lift. The vineyard has grown steadily over the decades — from just 3 hectares in 1983, 7 hectares by 1997, and 8.5 hectares (21 acres) today. The grape varieties are fermented separately in large cement tanks and distilled separately whenever the vintage allows.
Stephane in the old chai.
Distillation takes place each year in late November. For many years, the local distiller Roumat made his rounds to the property; upon his retirement, he was succeeded by Monsieur Saint-Martin, who continues the tradition today. The spirit runs off the travelling alembic armagnacais at between 53% and 55% ABV — a range that preserves the aromatic complexity and character of each grape. In a generous year, Stéphane can fill between twelve and fifteen barrels; in a leaner vintage — 2022, for example — only three barrels were filled. What cannot be distilled is sold off as bulk wine. New oak is purchased each year from the cooper Bartolomo, drawing on both Limousin forests and the local region; several barrels have been crafted from oak trees felled on the property itself, giving them a genuinely Briat character. After two to three years in new oak, the spirits are transferred to older casks to begin their long, slow maturation.
Cement fermentation tanks for the wine.
When I first arrived in 1997, this expanded part of the chai did not exist.
The aging chai at Château de Briat is one of the most beautiful in the Armagnac region. Originally a barn that housed livestock, it was restructured in the 1970s to hold cement fermentation tanks and wooden racks for approximately 100 barrels. A second door leads into a separate storage corridor whose long wooden racks hold barrels stacked three high — some 240 casks in total, each holding 420 liters. The space is cool in winter and gently warmer in summer. The dirt floor, undisturbed across generations, maintains a consistent level of humidity that Stéphane considers essential to the character of his Armagnacs: in these conditions, volume is preserved while alcohol levels gradually drop, a dynamic that is central to the round, rich style for which Briat is known. The mold and mushroom growth that develops on the barrels over time is welcomed rather than removed; Stéphane believes it contributes something proprietary and whole to the spirit as it breathes and evolves.
Unlike many producers, Briat does not top up its barrels. The falling level is deliberate — air contact is part of the process, softening the spirit and reducing its aggression over time. Assemblage of the different grape varieties typically takes place after a minimum of four years in barrel, and sometimes not until the spirits have reached their tenth year of aging.
Unlike many producers, Briat does not top up its barrels. The falling level is deliberate — air contact is part of the process, softening the spirit and reducing its aggression over time. Assemblage of the different grape varieties typically takes place after a minimum of four years in barrel, and sometimes not until the spirits have reached their tenth year of aging.
The results speak for themselves: Armagnacs that are deeply aromatic, have generous textures, and mouth coating flavors buttressed by nuances of quality oak.
The chai is built in and old barn that used to house livestock.
One of the murals on the dining room wall depicting Henri IV during a hunt.
Stephane de Luze at Briat in 2026.
Outside Chateau de Briat today.
Henri IV courts an admirer at Chateau de Briat.
Château de Briat tasting notes
The armagnacs of Briat epitomize the magical wonders that one can find in a glass of Gascon spirit. As grape blends, barrels and vintage conditions vary, there is no vintage that can replicated year after year. What is consistent is tremendous quality: always lots of nose, a rich palate feel and excellent length. This is classic Bas-Armagnac.
The armagnacs of Briat epitomize the magical wonders that one can find in a glass of Gascon spirit. As grape blends, barrels and vintage conditions vary, there is no vintage that can replicated year after year. What is consistent is tremendous quality: always lots of nose, a rich palate feel and excellent length. This is classic Bas-Armagnac.
Hors d'Age NV
50% baco, 50% colombard. 43.7% ABV. 15 years old. Amber with extremely attractive legs. Supple, elegant texture holds notes of toffee, chocolate, orange, licorice, vanilla, and spice. Great entry-level armagnac and an excellent value.
50% baco, 50% colombard. 43.7% ABV. 15 years old. Amber with extremely attractive legs. Supple, elegant texture holds notes of toffee, chocolate, orange, licorice, vanilla, and spice. Great entry-level armagnac and an excellent value.
2009 Cask 14 (45.2% ABV)
Made with 100% baco and bottled in 2024. From its deep amber color with orange highlights comes aromas of plums, cocoa, almonds, orange peel, and woodsy bergamot. The medium to full-bodied palate shows additional flavors of toffee, saddle leather, and walnut. Flavors coat the round and textural palate, while the finish is soft and round, with excellent balance between the fruit, tannin, and alcohol.
Made with 100% baco and bottled in 2024. From its deep amber color with orange highlights comes aromas of plums, cocoa, almonds, orange peel, and woodsy bergamot. The medium to full-bodied palate shows additional flavors of toffee, saddle leather, and walnut. Flavors coat the round and textural palate, while the finish is soft and round, with excellent balance between the fruit, tannin, and alcohol.
2002 Cask 14 (45.2% ABV)
Made with 100% baco, the rich texture of this armagnac has flavors of dried plums, an exotic coconut note, and some peppery spice on the finish.
Made with 100% baco, the rich texture of this armagnac has flavors of dried plums, an exotic coconut note, and some peppery spice on the finish.
2000 Cask 86 (40.1% ABV)
This cask had been slightly reduced in 2010 for use in an Hors d'Age, then aged further in a humid corner of the chai. The 2000 is made with 70% folle blanche and 30% baco. From its deep color come notes of toffee, crystalized plum, creamy orange, chocolate, and almonds. Additional flavors of sweet dried fruits, golden raisins, dried coconut, and spice coat the palate. The finish is soft and long.
This cask had been slightly reduced in 2010 for use in an Hors d'Age, then aged further in a humid corner of the chai. The 2000 is made with 70% folle blanche and 30% baco. From its deep color come notes of toffee, crystalized plum, creamy orange, chocolate, and almonds. Additional flavors of sweet dried fruits, golden raisins, dried coconut, and spice coat the palate. The finish is soft and long.
1996 Cask 123 (43% ABV)
Distilled from pure folle blanche wines, this lovely armagnac has developed into an excellent candidate to have at the end of the evening in front of the fireplace. Complex notes of dried plums, creamy toffee, quality leather, and dried orange intermingle on the nose. From its rich texture come additional flavors of cocoa, lanolin, pencil lead, and a hint of smoke. The finish is very long and spicy.
Distilled from pure folle blanche wines, this lovely armagnac has developed into an excellent candidate to have at the end of the evening in front of the fireplace. Complex notes of dried plums, creamy toffee, quality leather, and dried orange intermingle on the nose. From its rich texture come additional flavors of cocoa, lanolin, pencil lead, and a hint of smoke. The finish is very long and spicy.
1994 Cask 33 (41.4% ABV)
Issued from 100% baco, this shows wonderful development on the palate, with fresh fruit (plum, quince) having become more complex, with additional notes of cocoa, saddle leather, honey, spice, and a finishing hint of woodsmoke.
Issued from 100% baco, this shows wonderful development on the palate, with fresh fruit (plum, quince) having become more complex, with additional notes of cocoa, saddle leather, honey, spice, and a finishing hint of woodsmoke.
video: Oscar Beckmann and Michael Housewright