Château D'Arsac

The History of the Château d'Arsac

The seigneury of Arsac belongs to the history of the Médoc, as Guillaume Géraud d'Arsac was its owner from the dawn of the 12th century. The archives mention in the 16th century one of its owners, Thomas de Montaigne, brother of the great poet Michel Eyquem de Montaigne. The friend of the latter, the no less famous Étienne de la Boétie, evoked the Médoc in these few laudatory verses:

"O Médoc, solitary and wild country, There is no country more pleasant to my eyes. You are at the end of the world and I like you better ".

Thereafter, Château d'Arsac knew various owners, including Ernest Dubosc who increased the surface area of the domain until he founded the most important wine exploitation of the Médoc at the end of the 19th century - and perhaps even of France - with 250 hectares of vineyards and buildings of exploitation.

When Philippe Raoux bought Château d'Arsac in April 1986, he found the buildings in ruins - including the château reduced to a chicken coop! - the cellars were abandoned and only three hectares of vines remained.

At the price of a colossal investment and hard work, Château d'Arsac has regained its former glory. Its completely remade vineyard produces some of the best grapes in the region and half of it is now classified as AOC Margaux, then promoted to the rank of Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel.

In 1996, Château d'Arsac received the Gold Best Of award from the International Network of Great Wine Capitals in San Francisco in the Art/Culture section.

The Château d'Arsac vineyard

The Château d'Arsac estate covers 250 hectares, of which 108 hectares are under vine. 54 hectares belong to the Margaux appellation, 50 hectares to the Haut Médoc appellation and 4 hectares to the Bordeaux Blanc Sauvignon appellation. The altitude of the parcels culminates at 33 meters with the Monteil hill, in the heart of the property.

The terroir is constituted by a sandy-gravelly croup, mixed with a rather thin layer of clay. The majority grape variety is Cabernet Sauvignon which covers 70% of the vineyard.

The Château d'Arsac is managed in integrated agriculture and has the HVE certification, High Environmental Value of level 3, the highest of the label. It is also a certified member of the Iso 14001 Environmental Management System Association.

The wines of Château d'Arsac

Château d'Arsac - Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel Appellation Margaux Contrôlée
Red wine composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot.

Kid d'Arsac - Appellation Margaux Contrôlée
Kid d'Arsac is the second red wine in the Margaux AOC, composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot.

Le Monteil d'Arsac - AOC Haut-Médoc Appellation Haut-Médoc Contrôlée
Red wine made from a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot.

Cuvée Céline - AOC Bordeaux white Appellation Bordeaux Blanc Contrôlée
White wine composed entirely of Sauvignon.

Cuvée Scooter - AOC Bordeaux rosé Appellation Bordeaux Rosé
Rosé wine made entirely with Cabernet Sauvignon.