Château Margaux

CS 80150

33460 Margaux

Tél. : +33 (0)5 57 88 83 83

chateau-margaux@chateau-margaux.com 

www.chateau-margaux.com/

Château Margaux, First Classified Growth of 1855, Margaux

Getting to know Château Margaux, Premier Cru Classé 1855 in the Margaux appellation

A château among the world's finest wines

From the Middle Ages to the 20th and 21st centuries with the Mentzelopoulos family, via Pierre de Lestonnac in the 17th century, over 500 years of chapters have been written in the service of a wine whose excellence has continued to grow with each successive owner. As famous for its wines as for its neo-Palladian architecture, built around 1810, Château Margaux is without doubt one of the wine world's most exclusive estates. In an absolute quest for quality, the Premier Cru Classé de 1855 cultivates a French way of life.

A vineyard tradition that goes back in time. 

If we're looking for the roots of Château Margaux, we have to go back a long way, to the Middle Ages, more precisely to the 12th century. Cistercian monks would have cultivated vines on this promising and "blessed" land.  But it wasn't until the 17th century that the status of winegrowing property found its legitimacy. It was Pierre de Lestonnac, the owner of the estate, who set the ball rolling and became involved, seeking to enrich the estate while giving himself the means to make quality wines that were already considered exceptional at the time. The château itself, in its current configuration, was not built until much later, in 1815. It was built by the Marquis de la Colonilla in the purest Neo-Palladian style (an architectural style very much in evidence in the Veneto region of Italy). The imposing château, built by Victor Louis (architect of Bordeaux's Grand Théâtre), is unique in the Bordeaux landscape, with its Greek columns and peristyle. The tone of refinement in these premises, dedicated to the art of great wines, was already set. 

Mentzelopoulos's revival and renewal

In the 20th century, the estate had its ups and downs, and the two world wars, interspersed with the stock market crisis and difficult, even mediocre vintages (for all the region's wine producers), hardly made life easier for the owners. In the 60s, the estate was owned by the Ginestet family (known for their trading activities and local political commitments). But the Bordeaux wine crisis of the 70s put a stop to the estate's development plan. It was against this backdrop that Château Margaux's destiny was to be shaped by a meeting that would be decisive for its future and development: André Mentzelopoulos. In 1977, the Greek businessman, owner of the Felix Potin stores in Paris, fell under the spell of the Cru Classé and quickly saw the potential for revitalizing this "sleeping beauty". He bought the château and vineyards from the Ginestet family. From this point onwards, the estate rapidly underwent a period of renaissance and modernization, which was sorely lacking. 

The château is about to take a giant leap forward. Massive investment in the vineyard (restructuring, draining the soil, replanting grape varieties) and in the technical areas (vat room and cellars, where André Mentzelopoulos, a visionary, introduced new barrel ageing) meant that the quality of the wines also gained a new dimension. He also built the region's first large underground winery, which many described as daring at the time. On the oenological front, the great consultant oenologist and professor of oenology, Emile Peynaud, is at his side. At the time, the scientist was one of the best in the world when it came to advice and expertise on grands crus. It was on his initiative, moreover, that the second wine, Pavillon Rouge, was reintroduced with a policy of drastic selection of plot lots (highly innovative and ahead of its time) and Pavillon Blanc (the estate's dry wine) was completely redesigned. But then André Mentzelopoulos died, and in the end his château was of little use to him, momentarily halted in his quest for excellence. His daughter Corinne Mentzelopoulos, the "Lady of Margaux", immediately took over the reins of this wine colossus. With the firm intention of continuing her father's work, improving the reputation of the estate and restoring it to its former glory, Corinne Mentzelopoulos cleverly surrounded herself with experts and dynamic teams.