Château de Pressac

Identity

Château de Pressac is a winegrowing estate located in the commune of Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse, in the Gironde department. It is managed by Jean-François Quenin and Dominique Quenin, who have owned the estate since 1997. The technical team includes cellar master Bruno Chaminade and technical director Yannick Reyrel. Hubert de Boüard and Alain Raynaud act as blending consultants. The estate holds Grand Cru Classé status.

History and Philosophy

The history of Château de Pressac is steeped in historic events. In July 1453, the estate was the setting for the surrender negotiations following the Battle of Castillon, which brought an end to the Hundred Years' War. In the 18th century, between 1737 and 1747, the local lord Vassal de Montviel introduced the Auxerrois grape variety—known locally as "Noir de Pressac" and now identified as Malbec. The current Neo-Gothic château was rebuilt in the 19th century on the foundations of the former medieval fortress.

Jean-François and Dominique Quenin acquired the property in 1997. Following the purchase, extensive renovation work was undertaken across both the vineyards and the winery. The cellar was renovated in 1999 and expanded in 2012. In 2021, a new semi-underground gravity-fed vat room, designed by the Krzan architectural firm, was inaugurated. The estate achieved Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE) Level 3 certification in 2017.

Château de Pressac received a Gold "Best of" award in the Architecture category in 2007, as well as Best Of Wine Tourism awards in 2014 and 2025, also in the Architecture and Landscapes category. In 2024, it was awarded an Œnotourisme Trophy by Terre de Vins in the same category.

Appellations

Château de Pressac produces wines under the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation, benefiting from Grand Cru Classé status.

Flagship Wines

The estate crafts three main wines. The flagship cuvée is Château de Pressac, a red wine classified as Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé. Its blend is dominated by Merlot, complemented by Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, and Malbec. Grapes are hand-harvested with double sorting and 100% destemming. Gravity vatting takes place in truncated conical stainless-steel vats. Maceration lasts 3 to 4 weeks, with malolactic fermentation carried out in oak barrels. Ageing takes place in vats, barrels (approximately 50% new oak and 50% one-wine barrels or older), and amphorae, typically lasting 18 months and up to 24 months.

The estate's second wine is Château Tour de Pressac, also produced under the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation. It features a blend predominantly composed of Merlot (80–85%), complemented by Cabernet Franc, Carménère, and Petit Verdot (1.5–2%).

The estate also produces a rosé, La Rosée de Pressac, a saignée rosé made primarily from Merlot and Cabernet Franc, aged in acacia barrels. Between 2,000 and 3,000 bottles are produced each year. A third red wine has also been produced and sold in bulk since 2019.

Practical Information

Château de Pressac is located at 873 route de Pressac, 33330 Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse.

Telephone: +33 (0)5 57 40 18 02

Email: contact@chateaudepressac.com

The tasting room is open from Monday to Sunday, 09:30 to 12:00 and 13:30 to 18:00, all year round. Tours and tastings are available by appointment. The estate offers a standard 1 hour 15 minute tour including a tasting of 4 wines for €28.50. Groups are welcome (up to 60 people) and coach access is available. Accepted payment methods include credit/debit cards, cash, and cheques. Wi-Fi, air conditioning, and on-site parking are provided. Cellar-door sales, mail order, and international shipping are offered. Tours are conducted in English and French.

Find Out More

Official estate website

The Vineyard (Terroir)

The Château de Pressac vineyard spans 41 hectares of contiguous vines within a 47-hectare estate. It sits on varied terroirs, including a limestone plateau, clay-limestone hillsides, and clay-sand slope bases. Viticultural consulting is provided by Claude and Lydia Bourguignon.

The grape varieties comprise several red cultivars: Merlot (71%), Cabernet Franc (16%), Cabernet Sauvignon (9%), Carménère (2%), and Malbec (2%). The average vine age is 20 years. Planting densities range from 5,500 to 8,000 vines per hectare. Harvesting is carried out by hand.

Vinification and Ageing

Vinification takes place in a gravity-fed cellar equipped with 12 truncated conical stainless-steel vats, among a total of 49 vats that also include concrete vessels. Harvesting is manual, followed by a double sorting of the grapes and complete destemming. Malolactic fermentation occurs in barrels. The estate features two ageing cellars with a combined capacity of 600 barrels. Ageing is carried out in casks from various coopers (Radoux, Sylvain, Taransaud, Seguin Moreau), using a combination of new and one-wine barrels, as well as amphorae.