Château Cap de Mourlin

The estate

The Capdemourlins have held this ground on the northern slope of Saint-Émilion, 800 meters from the town, since 1647, which is 13 generations. The name was shared out long before the estate was. Édouard Féret, coauthor of Bordeaux et ses vins, the reference book of the Bordeaux trade, printed 2 holdings in his survey of the Libourne district of 1897, the Domaine de Cap de Mourlin under Capdemourlin at 12 tonneaux (the old Bordeaux measure of a crop, 900 liters, or 4 barrels) and another under Rideau at 10, and by 1908 there were 3. In 1922 Amédée Capdemourlin was making 25 tonneaux, and the guide stopped to remark on an owner whose surname was also the name of his vineyard.

On Amédée’s death in 1936 the estate was divided between his 2 sons, and both halves were good enough to be classified on their own: the first Saint-Émilion classification of 1955 and the revision of 1969 each carry 2 Cap de Mourlins. Jean Capdemourlin was the first Jurat when the Jurade of Saint-Émilion was revived in 1948. Jacques Capdemourlin, who has led the estate since 1974, reunited the 2 halves in October 1982, and the single estate has been a Grand Cru Classé at every revision since, in 1986, 1996, 2006, 2012 and in the list approved in September 2022.

The 14 hectares lie on clay and limestone and on clay and silica, planted 65% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, with vines 34 years old on average; the estate holds Haute Valeur Environnementale (High Environmental Value, the French state’s environmental certification for farms) and works to ISO 14001. In the stainless steel vat room the fruit goes through a cold maceration before fermentation, the vats are pumped over through a nitrogen wand, and the malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel; the wine is raised in French oak, half of it new. About 70,000 bottles are made, and since the 2019 vintage each carries a traceable seal against counterfeiting. The family also owns Château Balestard La Tonnelle in Saint-Émilion and Château Roudier in Montagne-Saint-Émilion.

At a glance

Appellation

Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

Commune

Saint-Émilion, on the northern slope, 800 meters from the town

Classification

Grand Cru Classé, 1986 to 2022; 2 separate Cap de Mourlins classified in 1955 and 1969

Owners

The Capdemourlin family, since 1647

Direction

Jacques Capdemourlin, since 1974

Divided and reunited

Split between 2 brothers in 1936; reunited in October 1982

Vineyard

14 hectares; vines 34 years old on average

Ground

Clay and limestone; clay and silica

Grapes

Merlot 65%, Cabernet Franc 25%, Cabernet Sauvignon 10%

Farming

Haute Valeur Environnementale; ISO 14001

Cellar

Stainless steel; cold maceration; malolactic in barrel; French oak, 50% new

Production

About 70,000 bottles

Wines

Château Cap de Mourlin

The other estates

Château Balestard La Tonnelle in Saint-Émilion; Château Roudier in Montagne-Saint-Émilion

In history

2 holdings of the name in 1897, 3 in 1908; 25 tonneaux in 1922

Sources: Vignobles Capdemourlin, Château Cap de Mourlin · Vignobles Capdemourlin, the family estates · Conseil des Vins de Saint-Émilion, Château Cap de Mourlin · Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité, the Saint-Émilion classification of 2022