Château Loudenne

Château Loudenne is a wine estate located in the commune of Saint Yzans de Médoc, in the Gironde department, in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region. The estate offers two vintages, belonging to the Bordeaux and Médoc appellations, in the three dresses.

The history of Château Loudenne

The history of Chateau Loudenne dates back three and a half centuries, when it was built by a family of Bordeaux nobles. Because of the color of its walls, it was instantly nicknamed Le Château Rose. The vineyard on its lands was already established for a long time, as there is evidence of the presence of the Romans as early as the first century AD, thanks to excavations that revealed traces of a Gallo-Roman villa. Later, in the 13th century, monks from the religious community of the Abbey of Isle also marked their presence.

Château Loudenne's winegrowing past began in 1875, when it was owned by two British merchants - Alfred and Walter Gilbey - who made it their French pied à terre. The two brothers took advantage of the château's private port, which allowed them to ship the wines by sea to London, but also to their trading posts around the world.

The Gilbeys optimized their production facilities by building a winery and brought the reputation of Château Loudenne to its highest level.

The estate then knew various owners who perpetuated its wine tradition. Today it belongs to Camus, the largest independent family-owned Cognac house, in co-ownership with Moutai, the leading spirits group in China.

The Chateau Loudenne vineyard

Loudenne is located in the heart of the Médoc, on the edge of the Gironde estuary, 6 kilometers north of Saint Estèphe. The farm still has its own private port. The immediate proximity of the Gironde River guarantees the gravelly soils that the vines are so fond of. Moreover, all the great Médoc vineyards are located along the estuary.

The Atlantic Ocean, also close by, brings a dry wind that purifies the vines and protects the grapes from diseases. The rather poor soil produces highly concentrated berries that optimize the aromatic qualities of the wine.

The mild climate protects the vines from frost in the spring and favors the ripening of the grapes in the fall. The cool summer months spare the vines from the scorching heat.

The estate covers 132 hectares, of which 62 are dedicated to viticulture: 48 hectares devoted to red wine and 14 hectares for white. The estate of Château Loudenne is classified Natura 2000 and the land not producing vines is reserved for extensive breeding and salt meadows.

For the red wines, 50% of the vines are Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% young Petit Verdot vines. For white wines, it is divided between 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Semillon.

The wines of Château Loudenne

Chateau Loudenne offers its Les Jardins BIO Bordeaux cuvée in all three dresses, as well as the Loudenne Le Château cuvée available in three versions: Médoc Rouge, Bordeaux Blanc and Bordeaux Rosé.