Château d'Esther

Identity

Château d'Esther is a winegrowing estate located in Saint-Loubès, in the Gironde département. The estate is owned by Thomas Fabian.

History and philosophy

The recent history of Château d'Esther began in early 2001 when the property was taken over. The estate has developed a philosophy focused on crafting a modern Bordeaux style, defined by low-intervention winemaking. This approach relies on spontaneous fermentation and avoids any additives in the wines.

Château d'Esther is also committed to sustainable organic farming. The vineyard is certified organic and implements biodynamic practices, such as spraying the vines with organic wild herb teas. The goal is to preserve and enhance the estate's ecosystem.

Appellations

Château d'Esther produces wines under the Bordeaux appellation.

Practical information

Château d'Esther is located at the following address: 37 Chemin Du Caderot, 33450 Saint-Loubès. For any enquiries, the estate can be contacted by telephone on +33 788 75 9696 or by email at Contact@shuette.com.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The Château d'Esther vineyard lies along the banks of the Dordogne River. The soils are deep clay enriched with mineral-rich silt. The climate is characterised by significant diurnal temperature variations, which encourage gradual grape ripening.

Viticultural practices focus on low yields. They incorporate permaculture cover crops between the vine rows to fix nutrients and build soil biomass. To foster biodiversity, over 200 fruit trees (mulberries, apricots, peaches) have been planted in and around the vineyard, and 250 bird nesting boxes have been installed across the estate.

Flagship cuvées

Château d'Esther offers a range of cuvées crafted with methods that respect both the fruit and the terroir:

• The Louie cuvée is a red wine aged in stainless steel vats. This ageing method aims to preserve freshness and pure fruit expression.
• The Rebecca cuvée is also a red wine.
• The Pierre cuvée is a red wine aged for 12 months in large oak casks, imparting structure and aromatic complexity to the wine.
• The Gauthier cuvée is a red wine aged for 12 months in neutral oak barrels, allowing for gentle wood integration without overshadowing the fruit's character.
• The Anaïs cuvée is a dry rosé, crafted for its vibrancy and aromatic profile.
• The Chloé cuvée is a white wine. A white cuvée from Château d'Esther has also been identified under the name “Château D'esther Elevé En Fût De Chêne 2001”, although it was aged in vats.

Vinification and ageing

Harvesting is carried out by hand before sunrise, with the grapes transported in small baskets. Vinification takes place in numerous small vats. Fermentation is spontaneous, without any added inputs. Ageing is carried out in various vessels, including new and neutral 500-litre oak barrels as well as stainless steel vats, depending on the cuvée. Ageing duration varies, such as 12 months for the Pierre and Gauthier cuvées.