Château de Ferrand
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Château de Ferrand, a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé, is managed by the Bich family. Rich in history and committed to organic farming, the estate features a clay-limestone vineyard dominated by Merlot, alongside dedicated wine tourism offerings.
Identity
Château de Ferrand is a winegrowing estate located in Saint-Hippolyte, in the Gironde department. It is owned by the Bich-Goury du Roslan family, represented by Pauline Bich and her husband Philippe Chandon-Moët. Gonzague de Lambert serves as the managing director.
History and Philosophy
The history of Château de Ferrand dates back to the 18th century, founded by Élie de Bétoulaud, an advocate at the Bordeaux Parliament. Historical archives document a vast estate with vines and woodlands as early as 1659. The current château and its grottos were built starting in 1702.
In 1978, Baron Marcel Bich, founder of the Bic brand, acquired the estate. In the 2000s, his daughter Pauline Bich and her husband Philippe Chandon-Moët took over management of the property, launching a comprehensive vineyard restructuring programme and modernising the technical facilities.
Château de Ferrand was awarded Terra Vitis certification in 2012 and HVE Level 3 certification in 2018. In 2021, the estate achieved ISO 14001 certification, and the 2024 vintage will be the first to be certified Organic (Agriculture Biologique), following the start of conversion in 2021. The estate has been completely free of insecticides since 2011 and has used no herbicides for over fifteen years.
Appellations
The wines of Château de Ferrand are produced under the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation, having attained the rank of Grand Cru Classé in 2012. The estate also produces wines under the Saint-Émilion appellation.
Practical Information
Château de Ferrand is located in Saint-Hippolyte, postal code 33330. The estate is open Monday to Sunday, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Guided tours and tastings are available and can be conducted in English. Credit card payments are accepted. The estate provides disabled access (PRM).
Château de Ferrand also offers accommodation and dining options. An art collection, including a ballpoint pen fresco, is on display on site. The interiors and the tasting cellar were renovated in 2019 by Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku.
Telephone: +33 (0)5 57 74 47 11
Email address: oenotourisme@chateaudeferrand.com
Find out more
Frequently asked questions
- What is the primary appellation of Château de Ferrand and its classification?
- Château de Ferrand is primarily produced under the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation. It was awarded the classification of Grand Cru Classé in 2012, which was reconfirmed in 2022. The estate also produces wines under the Saint-Émilion appellation.
- Who are the current owners of Château de Ferrand?
- Château de Ferrand is owned by the Bich-Goury du Roslan family. Estate management is led by Pauline Bich, daughter of Baron Marcel Bich (founder of the Bic brand), and her husband Philippe Chandon-Moët. Gonzague de Lambert serves as managing director.
- What are the estate's environmental certifications and viticultural practices?
- Château de Ferrand is certified Organic (Agriculture Biologique) starting with the 2024 vintage, following a conversion process initiated in 2021. It has also held HVE Level 3 certification since 2018 and ISO 14001 since 2021. The estate has used no insecticides since 2011 and no herbicides for over fifteen years. Practices include organic fertiliser use, cover cropping between rows, and mating disruption.
- What is the composition of the vineyard and the nature of the terroir?
- The vineyard of Château de Ferrand spans 32 planted hectares within a 42-hectare estate. The grape variety distribution is dominated by Merlot (70%), complemented by Cabernet Franc (29%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (1%). The terroir is varied, featuring clay-limestone soils, brown calcareous sandy-clay soils with bedrock, brown calcic soils over compact marl, and brown sandy-clay to sandy-clayey soils.
The Vineyard (Terroir)
The vineyard of Château de Ferrand covers 32 hectares of planted parcels within a 42-hectare estate that also includes ten hectares of woods and meadows. The average vine age is 35 years. The terroir consists of clay-limestone soils, brown calcareous sandy-clay soils with bedrock, brown calcic soils over compact marl, and brown sandy-clay to sandy-clayey soils.
The vineyard's grape varieties are dominated by Merlot (70%), complemented by Cabernet Franc (29%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (1%). Viticultural practices include the use of organic fertilisers sourced from a regional cattle farm, cover cropping between rows with legumes, grasses, and crucifers, and mating disruption for pest management. Harvesting is carried out by hand.
Signature Cuvées
The estate's principal cuvée is Château de Ferrand. The wine characteristically displays the charm of the estate. The blend for the 2008 vintage was composed of 78% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon. The estate produces an average of 130,000 to 180,000 bottles per year.
The estate's second wine is Le Différent de Château de Ferrand. It is crafted from a classic regional blend of 81% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Vinification and Ageing
The technical documentation does not provide specific details regarding the vinification and ageing practices at Château de Ferrand, beyond the grape varieties mentioned for the blends. Harvesting is done by hand.
- Appellations
- Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Saint-Émilion
- Commune
- Saint-Émilion
- Wine region
- Libournais
- Classification
- Grand Cru Classé (2022)
- Owner
- Famille Bich-Goury du Roslan
- Technical direction
- Gonzague de Lambert
- Surface area
- 42 ha
- Second wine
- Le Différent de Château de Ferrand
- Certifications
- Bio, HVE
- Grape varieties
- Merlot 70%, Cabernet Franc 29%, Cabernet Sauvignon 1%
Practical information
- Address
- Saint-Hippolyte, 33330 Saint-Emilion
- Phone
- 05 57 74 47 11
- Contact form
- Contact the estate
- Opening hours
- Du lundi au dimanche, de 9h00 à 17h00
- Visits
- visite-dégustation