Château de Musset

Identity

Château de Musset is a family estate, currently managed by Cédric Foucard following Vincent Foucard, and operating under the company name SCE Y. Foucard et fils. It is situated in the commune of Lalande-de-Pomerol, in the Gironde département. The production business is also identified under the names Vignobles Rambeaud and SCEA Ch. de Musset.

History and Philosophy

The history of Château de Musset dates back to the 19th century. The Foucard family acquired Château de Musset in 1963. In 1937, the family had also purchased Château Chêne-Vieux, a property originally established in 1902 by Camille Camallonga. The company SCE Y. Foucard & fils was founded in 1981. In 1988, Michel and Jean-Yves Foucard took over management. Vincent Foucard joined the estate in 1988 as estate manager, before handing over the reins to Cédric Foucard in 2022. The Foucard family has been devoted to running the estate for nearly four generations.

The Appellations

Château de Musset wines are produced under the Lalande de Pomerol appellation. The estate also produces wines under the Montagne-Saint-Émilion and Puisseguin Saint-Émilion appellations, notably for Château Chêne-Vieux.

Practical Information

Château de Musset is located at 18-20, route de Musset, 33500 Lalande-de-Pomerol. You can contact the estate by telephone on 05 57 51 11 40 or by email at contact@chateaudemusset.com. The estate offers direct sales and tastings on site. Cellar tours are available strictly by appointment.

Find out more

Official estate website

The Vineyard (Terroir)

The Château de Musset vineyard extends over an area of 27 hectares. Its terroir is characterised by clay-gravel and sandy-gravel soils. The grape varieties planted consist of 82% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon. The estate also manages Château Chêne-Vieux, whose vineyard covers 11 hectares on clay-limestone soil. For Château Chêne-Vieux, the main grape varieties are Merlot (90%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%).

Flagship Cuvées

The estate offers a range of red wines. The principal cuvées include "Cuvée Première" for both Château de Musset and Château Chêne-Vieux. The Château de Musset cuvée is described as a suppler, more approachable red wine, with an average ageing potential of 5 to 12 years. Château Chêne-Vieux, on the other hand, is characterised as a more tannic red wine, suited to cellaring for 5 to 15 years. Other cuvées include Château Haut Musset (Montagne-Saint-Émilion) and Les Colonnes Élevé en fût de chêne.

Vinification and Ageing

The cellars at Château de Musset were renovated in 2000, while those of Château Chêne-Vieux were updated in 2004. For the Cuvée Première of Château de Musset, ageing takes place 75% in oak barrels and 25% in stainless steel vats. For the Cuvée Première of Château Chêne-Vieux, ageing is carried out 85% in barrels and 15% in stainless steel vats. The "Les Colonnes Élevé en fût de chêne" cuvée is aged in casks; one vintage of this cuvée benefited from three months of ageing in concrete vats, followed by ten months in barrels. For the Château Haut Musset cuvée, ageing lasts fourteen months in barrels, complemented by ageing in vats. Winery practices include densimetric sorting and gentle maceration with light pump-overs.