Château Peyredon Lagravette Haut-Médoc Cru Bourgeois

Stéphane Dupuch of Château Sainte Marie, along with his wife Laurence, realized a long-time dream in 2009 when they purchased Château Peyredon in the Haut Médoc. In a way, they believe the estate chose them rather than the other way around. After months of searching for a small property and winery on the Left Bank, they became convinced that small estates had all been absorbed by Grands Châteaux (many of which are now owned by banks and insurance companies), and whatever was available was prohibitively expensive.  One day however, word of their search reached the owners of Peyredon Lagravette, who happened to know Stéphane's father, and they proposed a long-term buy out that Stéphane and Laurence couldn't refuse. It was "le destin" (destiny), as the French would say. 

Located between the appellations of Moulis and Listrac, the Haut-Médoc produces more fine wine per acre than almost anywhere else in the world. The Peyredon property is part of the Grand Poujeaux hill, reputed for its warm, well-draining gravel terraces, which provide ideal growing conditions for the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon grapes that dominate plantings in the area. Château Peyredon is in prestigious company, bordered by neighbors Château Poujeaux, Château Chasse Spleen and Château Maucaillou.

The Dupuch family grows grapes with the greatest respect for wildlife and flora. Their commitment to organic farming and preservation is felt in everything they do, both in the vineyard and in the cellar. The Lagravette is a blend of 60 year old Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot densely planted at 10,000 vines per hectare -- at one meter by one meter spacing -- in the outstanding Graves Quatenaires in the Champs de Médrac, one of the smallest of the Cru Bourgeois. In their tiny garage winery, Laurence vinifies each parcel separately in stainless steel and concrete, and the finished wine is aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, many of which hail from the oak forest lining the serene property. This is a definitely a château to watch...and drink!