Château Beychevelle is an estate along La Gironde about 30 miles northwest of Bordeaux near the village of St.-Julien. Founded in the Middle Ages, Château Beychevelle was once owned by an admiral in the French navy who demanded respect by baisse voile (lowering of the masts when passing his riverfront fortification). The Louis XV-style château is an 18th-century masterpiece with classic French gardens and a museum-quality interior. Vines cover more than 200 acres of terroir, planted mostly with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Château Beychevelle produces a grand vin, a deuxième crus (Amiral de Beychevelle) and an AC Haut-Médoc.