Château Magneau

The estate

La Brède, the home of Montesquieu, lies in the heart of the Graves, and Château Magneau is 1 of its old properties. The Ardurats who work it trace their line of winegrowers to before the reign of Henri IV. Jean-Louis and Bruno Ardurats own it, and Jean-Louis directs the vineyard, the winemaking and the aging.

There are more than 40 hectares of vines across La Brède and Saint-Morillon, 25 of white and 16 of red, mostly on deep gravel on well-exposed rises, farmed by reasoned methods under the Terra Vitis scheme. The cellar, more than 1,000 square meters and fully air-conditioned, has stainless steel vats, 2 presses and temperature control, and a new barrel cellar was built. The red, 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, spends 12 months in oak with 1 third new barrels, the share of new wood set by the vintage. The white, 45% Sauvignon, 40% Sémillon and 15% Muscadelle, ages about 3 months in steel; Cuvée Julien, half Sauvignon and half Sémillon, is made only in barrel and aged 7 months on its lees, 50% in new wood; Plaisir de Magneau is a red from young vines, raised in steel with 3 months in barrel.

At a glance

Appellation

Graves

Commune

La Brède and Saint-Morillon

Classification

No classification

Owners

Jean-Louis and Bruno Ardurats

Direction

Jean-Louis Ardurats

Vineyard

More than 40 hectares, 25 white and 16 red

Ground

Mostly deep gravel on well-exposed rises

Grapes

Red: Merlot 50%, Cabernet Sauvignon 45%, Cabernet Franc 5%; white: Sauvignon 45%, Sémillon 40%, Muscadelle 15%

Farming

Reasoned; Terra Vitis

Cellar

More than 1,000 square meters; stainless steel vats; red 12 months in oak, 1 third new

Wines

Château Magneau, red and white; Cuvée Julien; Plaisir de Magneau

Sources: Château Magneau, the château (French) · Château Magneau, the wines (French) · Vins de Graves, Château Magneau