Topic
Estates and People
Appointments, successions, sales and the people who run the châteaux.
By month
- September 202652
- August 202686
- July 202698
- June 202696
- May 202699
- April 202684
- March 202658
- February 202652
- January 202662
- December 202533
Appellations
- Médoc38
- Saint-Émilion38
- Sauternes20
- Pomerol19
- Margaux18
- Pauillac13
- Pessac-Léognan12
- Entre-deux-Mers8
- Graves7
- Saint-Estèphe7
- Crémant de Bordeaux6
- Saint-Julien6
- Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux5
- Barsac4
- Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux4
- Bordeaux AOC4
- Haut-Médoc4
- Listrac-Médoc4
- Premières Côtes de Bordeaux4
- Bordeaux Supérieur3
- Lalande-de-Pomerol3
- Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux1
- Côtes de Bourg1
- Fronsac1
- Montagne-Saint-Émilion1
- Moulis1
- Sainte-Foy Côtes de Bordeaux1
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Château Fourcas Dupré completed a 3-year transformation in June, following Gérard Jicquel’s 2019 acquisition of the Listrac-Médoc estate.
Substantial investment in Listrac is significant when many Bordeaux properties face pressure on margins and demand. The project also tests how far capital, positioning and renewed facilities can elevate an appellation that remains relatively accessible.
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The Commanderie de Bordeaux in Focus
The Commanderie de Bordeaux promotes Bordeaux wines and culture.
Bordeaux’s international confréries remain useful channels for education, networking and market development, particularly beyond the region’s traditional European base.
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Château La Tour Figeac: An estate among illustrious company
Château La Tour Figeac in St-Emilion was created from land sold by Château Figeac in 1879 and divided again in 1881; despite its name, the estate has no tower, according to decanter.com.
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How a Broken-Down Château Became a Bordeaux Icon
A formerly dilapidated château became a Bordeaux wine icon, according to Wine-Searcher.
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Jérémy Cukierman takes the helm at Cos d’Estournel
Jérémy Cukierman has been appointed general manager of Château Cos d’Estournel in Saint-Estèphe, a role left vacant since Aymeric de Gironde departed in 2017. The estate announced the appointment during the 2026 harvest.
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Jean-Denis Bibian, a Bordeaux winegrower whose family home was destroyed in the Saumos fire, received nearly €4,000 in wine orders after a friend posted a Facebook video. Around 100 people across France ordered bottles from him.
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The engineer who challenged Bordeaux's hierarchy
Yves Vatelot bought Château Reignac in 1990 and used blind tastings to challenge Bordeaux's hierarchy. In 1998, a tasting of 200 Bordeaux bottles placed one of his wines among the top 15, according to Vatelot.
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Cycling trip in France: Tour de France through the vineyards of Bordeaux
A cycling trip through Bordeaux’s vineyards starts in Bordeaux and runs through areas including Entre-deux-Mers, Médoc and Saint-Émilion. In Bommes, 40-year-old winemaker Alexis Charrier produces Sauternes with his family property.
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Chevalier du Grand Robert (CGR) Named #1 Bordeaux Wine Brand in the United States
Chevalier du Grand Robert was ranked the #1 Bordeaux wine brand in the United States by Nielsen for the 52-week period ending May 23, 2026, based on dollars and cases.
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Basketball Star Shoots Hoops at Bordeaux Second Growth
A basketball star played basketball at a Bordeaux Second Growth estate.
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Fifth heatwave drives Bordeaux white-wine harvest to a record-early start
A fifth heatwave has accelerated Bordeaux’s white-wine harvest. Château Latour-Martillac in Pessac-Léognan began its 2026 harvest on Aug. 11, 2026, 1 week earlier than its previous record from 2022, according to technical director Edouard Kressmann.
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Bordeaux wine: the Médoc turns white and is tasted at the Soulac’n Jazz festival
White Médoc wines will be presented and tasted at the Soulac’n Jazz festival in Soulac on Aug. 22, 2026. The Pourtalès family in Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne produces an organic Médoc white made from 100% sauvignon.
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Mini-vertical: Domaines Henri Martin
The Triaud family’s Domaines Henri Martin comprises 3 Bordeaux châteaux, Château Saint-Pierre, Château Gloria and Château Bel-Air Gloria, with vintages spanning 2018 to 2023.
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Mini-vertical Tasting: Château Thieuley Blanc
Château Thieuley blanc is an emblematic Entre-deux-Mers wine under AOC Bordeaux Blanc, made at the roughly 60-hectare family property in La Sauve, run by sisters Marie and Sylvie Courselle.
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Bordeaux marks milestones with commemorative bottles
Château Gruaud Larose marked its 300th anniversary in 2025 with an etched bottle featuring golden Cabernet Sauvignon leaves. Château Brane-Cantenac commemorated 100 years under the Lurton family’s ownership with a special golden label for its 2025 vintage.
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The Best Value Bordeaux of 2026
Wine-Searcher named its best-value Bordeaux wines for 2026.
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Challenges published its 2026 ranking of France’s 500 biggest professional fortunes, including South-West vineyard owners. Patrice Pichet, who owns château Les Carmes de Haut-Brion in the Graves, ranked among France’s 100 biggest professional fortunes, according to Challenges.
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Les Domaines de Moncets moves into Pessac-Léognan for the first time
Les Domaines de Moncets acquired Château Pontac Monplaisir in Pessac-Léognan, expanding to 5 properties totaling 56 hectares. The 16-hectare estate has historic links to the family that owned Haut-Brion.
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Meet the CEO Bringing New Flair to the Historic Château Angélus Bordeaux Estate
de Boüard-Rivoal is the first woman in 8 generations to lead Château Angelus in Saint-Émilion. As managing director, she leads a team of 170 people.
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Bordeaux: négociant Philippe Tapie joins Bernard Farges at the head of the CIVB
Bordeaux's wine trade body, the CIVB, has adopted a permanent co-presidency, ending the previous alternation between growers and merchants. Négociant Philippe Tapie was elected to serve alongside grower Bernard Farges until 2028.
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Bucolic walks in Entre-deux-Mers
Entre-deux-Mers offers vineyard walks, sports and château visits, including organic, family-friendly activities at Château du Payre, which has welcomed visitors since 1881. Its “Pur jus de raisin” workshop lets participants harvest, press and taste grapes.
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Brane Cantenac unveils label celebrating 100 years of Lurton family ownership
Château Brane-Cantenac unveiled a commemorative label for its 2025 vintage to mark 100 years of Lurton family ownership.
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Bordeaux mourns Jean-Paul Jauffret
Jean-Paul Jauffret, born in 1930, has died after holding leadership roles at the CIVB, Dourthe, Bordeaux city hall, Vinexpo and La Cité du Vin. He was behind Vinexpo’s first edition in 1981 and relaunched the Fête du Vin in 1988.
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Castel Heirs Removed from Wine Unit Board as Family Dispute Escalates
Bloomberg reports that two heirs in the Castel family have been removed from the board of the historic wine business based near Bordeaux. The move deepens a family power struggle inside one of France’s biggest drinks empires.
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Jean Bernard takes the helm of the Cité du Vin in Bordeaux
Jean Bernard became president of La Cité du Vin in Bordeaux on June 29, 2026, succeeding Sylvie Cazes after 12 years leading the institution.
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Laydis vineyards turn to crowdfunding
Thomas and Élodie Laydis have launched a crowdfunding campaign on Ulule to turn their family estate, Château Roc de Calon, into an wine-tourism destination. Based in Montagne-Saint-Émilion, the move is presented as a diversification strategy in response to the wine sector crisis.
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Alex Heinz from Ornellaia to a Bordeaux château: "Here are my new wines"
Alex Heinz has moved from Ornellaia to a Bordeaux château and is presenting his new wines.
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LiveTrade, the fine wine trading platform powered by Bordeaux Index, has partnered with Wine Hub from Wine Owners to connect business management software directly to a major fine wine marketplace. The tie-up aims to broaden global access to fine wine trading for merchants, collectors, and producers.
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A new era opens at Domaine Beauséjour in Chinon
Arnaud de Laforcade is leaving Château Cheval Blanc after 17 years as commercial and finance director. He will join Domaine Beauséjour in Chinon as estate manager, in a project backed by Ivan Massonnat of Domaine Belargus.
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Bordeaux with Premier Grand Cru lineage flies under radar
A Bordeaux wine with Premier Grand Cru lineage is flying under the radar, according to The Australian.
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‘Impressively fresh’ 1892 Château d’Yquem found under chapel floor
A cache of 133 late-19th-century wines, including 8 bottles of Château d’Yquem from 1892 and 1896, was found beneath a chapel floor at Bečov Castle in the Czech Republic. Château d’Yquem restored the bottles, with only 5 full original bottles surviving, according to The Drinks Business.
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France's Only Fully Kosher Winery Releases First Mevushal Bordeaux
Wine Business says France’s only fully kosher winery has released its first mevushal Bordeaux.
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COMO Cordeillan-Bages opens in the heart of Bordeaux wine country
COMO Hotels and Resorts has opened the 28-room COMO Cordeillan-Bages in Pauillac, in Bordeaux’s Médoc region, in collaboration with the Cazes family, owners of Château Lynch-Bages.
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The St.-Emilion Vanguard: Clos Fourtet and Beau-Séjour Bécot
According to Wine Spectator, Clos Fourtet and Beau-Séjour Bécot are at the St.-Emilion vanguard, and their impressive Merlot-based reds deserve a place in your cellar.
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France's First Mevushal Bordeaux Has Arrived
France's first mevushal Bordeaux has arrived.
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Cantenac Brown hands the reins to Romain Courtier
Since early 2026, Romain Courtier has served as managing director of Margaux Third Growth Château Cantenac Brown, succeeding José Sanfins.
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Chateau Batailley: A pillar of value in Pauillac
Château Batailley, a fifth growth property in Pauillac, has been owned by the Castèja family since 1961 and is known for consistent quality at accessible prices, according to Decanter.
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Column: The story behind Chateau Giscours
Château Giscours has a long and turbulent history marked by revolutions, scandals and ownership disputes, according to Richmond News.
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"Château Picque Caillou Is the Ideal Property for Me"
Laurent Marti, president of Union Bordeaux-Bègles, has acquired Château Picque Caillou, a Grand Cru de Pessac-Léognan property, according to vintagebyugcb.com.
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Château Cantemerle’s Haut-Médoc Charm
Château Cantemerle, a distinguished Cinquième Cru in the Haut-Médoc, has a new cellar and a focus on Cabernet, according to Wine Spectator.
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Open days in Saint-Émilion: small family estate Clos Systey cultivates its gems
As of May 2, 2026, Clos Systey was a 2-hectare family property in Saint-Émilion, founded in 2015, led by Fanny Dulong and farmed biodynamically, according to Sud Ouest.
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En Primeur 2025: Pontet-Canet Sets the Tone
Terre de Vins reports that Château Pontet-Canet is again one of the first major releases of the 2025 Bordeaux en primeur campaign. The Tesseron family estate in Pauillac is offering the wine at a very slight increase in public price.
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At 90 Years: Bordeaux Icon Bernard Magrez Regulates Succession
According to wein.plus, 90-year-old Bordeaux entrepreneur Bernard Magrez named his 63-year-old son Philippe as his successor. Philippe has worked in the group for 40 years and has managed Château Plaisance in St. Emilion since 2005.
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On March 29, 2026, the Amblevert nurseries in Sainte-Florence, Gironde, marked 4 generations producing vine plants for growers and began making wines under the Oze brand. The nursery produces 1.2 million plants from 30 grape varieties each year.
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Bordeaux Legend and James Bond's Favorite Winemaker
Wine-Searcher describes a legendary Bordeaux winemaker as James Bond's favorite.
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A new identity for Chanel's vineyards
Chanel is bringing its 4 wine properties together under the shared identity “Les Vignobles”: Château Rauzan-Ségla, Château Canon, Château Berliquet and Domaine de l'Ile, while preserving each property’s individual character.
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Right Bank château extends with acquisition of its neighbour
Château des Mille Anges, a Bordeaux estate near Cadillac-sur-Garonne, has bought neighboring Château Génisson. The owner plans to replant 20 hectares, signaling expansion despite wider vineyard pullouts and weak sales.
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A woman winegrower on the municipal council and promoting Bordeaux wine
On Saturday, March 28, Bordeaux Mayor Thomas Cazenave appointed Laure de Lambert Compeyrot, director of château Sigalas Rabaud, as a municipal councillor responsible for relations with the wine sector and wine promotion.
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Wine world mourns Bordeaux legend Michel Rolland
Michel Rolland, Bordeaux oenologist and original “flying winemaker,” died from a heart attack on Friday at age 78, according to The Drinks Business. His career spanned 14 countries and 50 years, and he consulted for more than 150 wine estates.
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Why Michel Rolland became one of the most influential names in wine
According to NSC Total, French winemaker Michel Rolland died at 78 on March 20, 2026, in Bordeaux, France. Known for concentrated wines with silky texture, soft tannins and high alcohol, he helped spread his style through consulting in Argentina, the United States and Brazil.
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The Master Blender Who Turned Bordeaux into a Global Sensation Leaves the Wine World Forever Changed
According to Wine Enthusiast, Michel Rolland, the Bordeaux-based oenologist, has died. His blending style helped define modern red Bordeaux and influence wine worldwide, with Pomerol as his base.
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Picque Caillou: Laurent Marti’s dream becomes reality
Laurent Marti, president of Union Bordeaux Bègles, acquired Château Picque Caillou in the Pessac-Léognan appellation from the Denis family. The property retains 25 hectares of contiguous vines in Mérignac.
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Obituary Michel Rolland: 1947-2026
Decanter reports the death of Michel Rolland, the influential Bordeaux-based oenologist and global consultant, who died suddenly on March 20 aged 78. His career made him one of the most prominent figures associated with modern Bordeaux winemaking.
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One of the Greatest Oenologists of all Time: Michel Rolland Has Died
Michel Rolland has died; Falstaff describes him as one of the world’s most influential oenologists and one of the greatest oenologists of all time.
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AdVini and Cordier by InVivo sign their tie-up
AdVini and Cordier by InVivo signed a memorandum of understanding on March 12, with InVivo acquiring 7.8% of AdVini in exchange for part of its wine assets, including the Café de Paris and Cordier brands. The agreement must be approved by AdVini shareholders on April 30.
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How Namratha Stanley built a wine label
Namratha Stanley moved to Bordeaux and built her wine label, Solicantus, after overcoming domestic violence and family restrictions. She sources French wines globally from her Bordeaux base.
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'On the Divine' with Frédéric Engerer
Artémis Domaines has 9 properties, including Château Latour in Bordeaux, under the direction of Frédéric Engerer. The portfolio added Domaine des Cabottes in 2025.
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Châteaux Fonroque and Mazeyres: a new organization for the Guillard family
The Guillard family has announced a new organization for Château Fonroque (Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé) and Château Mazeyres (Pomerol) to support long-term development. Judith Barat is appointed to lead both properties, while the technical teams remain in place with Alain Moueix continuing as consultant.
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Hubert de Boüard discusses his passion project, Le Plus de la Fleur de Boüard
According to Decanter, Hubert de Boüard discussed Le Plus de la Fleur de Boüard on February 26, 2026. The Lalande-de-Pomerol wine is 100% Merlot from a 6ha parcel of 70-80-year-old vines and is bottled in around 4,000 bottles annually.
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The (Patiras) island of treasures
The Gouache family, owners of Château Loudenne, is taking over the Refuge de Patiras restaurant on Île de Patiras to create a new visitor destination linked with Pauillac and La Loudenne, including small daily boat trips in high season.
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Daniel Cathiard Dies at 81; Turned Bordeaux Estate Into Champion Winery
Daniel Cathiard died at 81 after transforming Château Smith Haut Lafitte into a leading Bordeaux estate and champion winery.
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Château La Couspaude acquired by the Flurin family
Château La Couspaude, a 7-hectare Saint-Émilion estate on the limestone plateau, has been acquired by Pierre-Henri and Véronique Flurin. The deal confirms recent market rumors in Bordeaux.
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Confusion over result of Castel Group board vote
A shareholder vote to remove Castel Group CEO Gregory Clerc amid disagreements with the founding family appears inconclusive, with both sides disputing the outcome. The ongoing leadership feud continues to create uncertainty for the group, including its Castel Frères wine business and estates.
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Richard Nunn joins Champagnes & Châteaux as key account manager
Champagnes & Châteaux has appointed Richard Nunn as key account manager. The move signals a trade/portfolio and customer-development focus at a company active in fine wine, including Bordeaux.
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10 years of Chartron et Trébuchet under the aegis of Grands Chais de France
According to Terre de Vins, Chartron et Trébuchet marks 10 years under the ownership of Grands Chais de France, with an expanded range of cuvées, modernized winemaking and a premium positioning in Burgundy.
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Castel Group leadership coup escalates
The Drinks Business reports an escalation in a leadership coup within Castel Group. The dispute could have implications for governance and strategic direction at one of Bordeaux’s most influential wine businesses.
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The Castel Group rocked by Succession-style family rift
Alain Castel resigned as a director of D.F Holding, while he and Romy Castel were reported to be seeking the ouster of Castel Group CEO Gregory Clerc. The group said its board met in Luxembourg on December 11 and supported Clerc, who acknowledged a “troubled undercurrent” at the company.
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Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite launches new Chilean icon wine
Viña Los Vascos, part of Domaines Barons de Rothschild (DBdR) Lafite, has launched Cañeten, a Chilean wine from Colchagua’s coastal foothills. The 2022 vintage, its first release, blends 54% Syrah, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc.
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Why now is the perfect time to seek out Château Montrose
The case for buying and drinking Château Montrose now: a Bordeaux benchmark, for its quality and its current appeal.
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4 decades of Château Margaux: A Decanter Fine Wine Encounter Masterclass
At Decanter's Fine Wine Encounter in Singapore in 2025, a masterclass tasted nearly 4 decades of Château Margaux wines led by CEO Alexis Leven-Mentzelopoulos, a member of the owning family.
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Cross-interview: François-Xavier Maroteaux and Axel Marchal
A cross-interview between François-Xavier Maroteaux and Axel Marchal discussing Bordeaux wine and winemaking perspectives. Published by the UGCB as part of its Vintage content.
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A St-Emilion story: Château Pavie profile
Gérard Perse, former owner of Château Pavie, died in July, according to Decanter. Château Pavie is one of 2 St-Émilion estates currently ranked premier grand cru class A.
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Château-Figeac, a Premier Grand Cru Classé "A" estate in Saint-Emilion, is set to host the Welcome Evening for the 2024 Primeurs.
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Cross interview: François-Xavier Maroteaux and Axel Marchal
From April 14 to 17, the wine world will gather in Bordeaux to taste the 2024 vintage. François-Xavier Maroteaux, president of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux, and Axel Marchal will provide guidance on interpreting it.
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