Château de Camensac

Identity

Château de Camensac is a winegrowing estate located in Saint-Laurent-Médoc, in the Gironde department. It is recognised as a Cinquième Grand Cru Classé in the 1855 classification. The property is today owned by Céline Villars-Foubet and Jean Merlaut. Estate management is overseen by the team of Céline Villars-Foubet and Jean-Pierre Foubet, alongside oenologist Éric Boissenot and cellar master Christian Alquié.

History and philosophy

The history of Château de Camensac dates back to the 18th century, with the construction of its chartreuse. In 1767, the estate was recorded on the Belleyme map. Joseph Popp acquired the property in 1799. In 1855, under the direction of the Popp family, Château de Camensac was ranked as a Cinquième Grand Cru Classé. Bruno Popp took over the estate in 1860 and expanded the cellars that same year. In 1887, Alphonse de Tournade and Antonia Garrigou acquired the property, which was subsequently sold to Comte Lahens in 1906. In 1912, the Cuvelier family, via the wine merchant firm H. Cuvelier & Fils, became the owners. In 1964, Elysée and Henri Forner took over the estate and benefited from the consulting expertise of oenologist Emile Peynaud. Since 2005, Château de Camensac has been the property of Jean Merlaut and Céline Villars-Foubet. The estate has embraced an agro-ecological approach and achieved level 3 Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE) certification in 2021.

Appellations

The wines of Château de Camensac are produced under the Haut-Médoc appellation.

Flagship wines

The estate's principal cuvée is the Grand Cru Classé 1855. Grapes are sorted in the vineyard, followed by a second sort on a sorting table upon arrival at the winery. Vinification includes destemming and crushing. Ageing takes place over 12 months in French oak barrels, with 10% new oak. This wine is crafted predominantly from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, offering an ageing potential of up to 15 years. The second wine of Château de Camensac is named La Closerie de Camensac. This cuvée is produced predominantly from Merlot.

Practical information

Château de Camensac is situated on Route de Saint-Julien, 33112 Saint-Laurent-Médoc. For any enquiries, the estate can be contacted by telephone on +33 (0)5 56 59 41 69 or by email at info@chateaucamensac.com. Visits are available by appointment and on a walk-in basis during the summer season. Visiting hours are 9:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday to Friday from November to March, and 9:30 am to 6:00 pm Monday to Saturday from April to October. Please note that the estate's wine tourism activities will cease on 24 June 2025. The estate offers direct sales on-site and by mail order.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The vineyard of Château de Camensac extends over 75 hectares across an overall estate of 150 hectares. It comprises 123 parcels. The soils consist of deep gravel, including Villafranchian and Günzian gravels, broken down into 40 hectares of gravel, 25 hectares of sandy clay, and 10 hectares of sandy gravel. The average age of the vines is 25 years. The grape varieties planted are 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot. Soil cultivation is carried out mechanically. Harvesting is done by hand with selective picking that accounts for grape variety, vine age, and terroir.

Vinification and ageing

Following the manual harvest, the grapes undergo parcel-by-parcel sorting, followed by a second sorting on tables upon arrival at the cellar. Vinification includes destemming and crushing of the berries. Ageing of the grand vin is carried out for 12 months in French oak barrels, with a 10% proportion of new wood.