Château de l'Estang

Identity

Château de l'Estang is located in Saint-Genès-de-Castillon, in the Gironde department. The property is owned by Rémy Graillot. The vineyard has been under the technical management of Célestin Bizet since 2020.

History and philosophy

The history of Château de l'Estang dates back to the 18th century, beginning as a modest farmhouse of which remnants are still visible today. In the 19th century, a manor house was built, later destroyed during a battle. The current château was erected by a subsequent owner on a hillside blessed with vines and natural springs. A statue of the Virgin Mary, dating from 1891, also bears witness to the estate's heritage.

In 1989, Château de l'Estang was acquired by a Parisian property group. The following year, in 1990, Mr Schouartz became the owner and undertook major investments, notably building a modern winery. In 1993, Mr Bocquillon took over the property and contributed to the continuous improvement of wine quality. In 2013, the estate was sold to a consortium of Chinese owners. That same year, Rémy Graillot acquired Château de l'Estang.

The Lestang 1573 brand was created in 2021, marking the first vinification of this new venture after winemaking had been paused at the château since 1928.

Appellations

Château de l'Estang produces wines under the Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux appellation. The estate also produces Sancerre wines.

Practical information

Château de l'Estang is located at 3 lieu-dit l’Étang d’en haut, 33350 Saint-Genès-de-Castillon. The estate can be contacted by telephone on +33 (0)5 57 47 91 81 or by email at chateaudelestang@gmail.com.

The tasting room and shop are open Monday to Thursday from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm and from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. On Fridays, opening hours are from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm and from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The estate offers cellar-door sales, estate tours, and wine tastings in both French and English.

Château de l'Estang has also offered bed and breakfast accommodation since 2017, featuring 5 guest bedrooms and sleeping up to 27 guests. A 160 m² reception room is available for hire, accommodating up to 80 guests. Visitors enjoy exclusive access to the swimming pool and complete freedom of catering choice, with no corkage fee.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The vineyard of Château de l'Estang covers an area of 5 hectares, planted on clay-limestone soils and deep clays. The grape varieties comprise Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The estate also includes 3 hectares planted with Sauvignon blanc.

The estate extends over a total surface area of 52 hectares, encompassing vines, woodlands, and a pond fed by natural run-off. The surrounding landscape features 136 tree species, including cherry, hazel, pear, fig, and cedar trees, some of which are two hundred years old.

Signature cuvées

Château de l'Estang offers several cuvées, including:

• Lestang 1573 Tradition: This wine undergoes 1 year of ageing, followed by 1 year of bottle ageing before release.
• Lestang 1573 L’Illustre Voyageur: This cuvée is aged in oak demi-muids for 1 year, followed by 1 year of bottle ageing prior to commercial release.

Vinification and ageing

Vinification takes place in a modern vat room equipped with temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Ageing is carried out in oak barrels, lasting up to 18 months for certain cuvées. The cuvée L'Illustre Voyageur is specifically aged in oak demi-muids. An ageing cellar is dedicated to maturing the wines before bottling.