Château Ferrière

Identity

Located in Margaux, Château Ferrière is an 1855 Troisième Grand Cru Classé. The estate is owned by Claire Villars-Lurton, from the Villars-Merlaut family. The property benefits from the expertise of consultant oenologist Éric Boissenot.

History and philosophy

The history of Château Ferrière dates back to the 16th century, when it was founded by Gabriel Ferrière. After remaining in the Ferrière family for generations, the estate was acquired by the Merlaut family in the late 1980s. In 1992, Bernadette Merlaut-Villars took over operations, before Claire Villars-Lurton assumed management in 1994. In 2000, the family estates were restructured.

Château Ferrière is deeply committed to environmentally friendly viticulture. The conversion to organic farming began in 2012, with certification obtained in 2015. The estate has also been certified biodynamic (Demeter and Biodyvin) since 2018. This philosophy is reflected in both vineyard management and cellar practices. Château Ferrière also hosts an apprentice through the “Les Vignerons du Vivant” programme, in partnership with Apprentis d'Auteuil and the MFR in Saint-Yzans-de-Médoc.

Appellations

The Château Ferrière plots are situated in the commune of Margaux, and the wines are produced under the Margaux Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée.

Practical information

Château Ferrière is located at 33 bis rue de la Trémoille, 33460 Margaux. You can contact the estate by telephone on 05 57 88 76 65 or by email at infos@ferriere.com. The tasting room is open all year round. Visits, including vineyard tours and themed tastings, are strictly by appointment.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The Château Ferrière vineyard spans 24 hectares, 23 of which are planted with red grape varieties. The soils consist of deep gravel resting on limestone marl. The vines have an average age of 50 years, with old vines planted in the early 1950s. The average planting density is 10,000 vines/ha.

The red grape varieties are planted as follows: 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Cultivation practices include the use of green manure cover crops consisting of field bean, mustard, rye, oats, clover, fodder radish, field pea, fodder turnip, bird's-foot trefoil, blue lupin, and flax. Biodynamic preparations such as horn manure (500), horn silica (501), horsetail decoction (508), fermented nettle extract (504), willow decoction, valerian extract (507), yarrow infusion (502), and fermented dandelion extract (506) are also applied. The estate incorporates intra-plot agroforestry with hedgerows and various fruit and pollarded trees, at a density of 200 trees/ha across 2 hectares.

Flagship cuvées

Château Ferrière produces a red grand vin characterised by plot-by-plot vinification. This wine offers a faithful expression of its terroir, with a structure and aromatic complexity that make it a true benchmark of its appellation. The estate also crafts a second wine, Les Remparts de Ferrière.

Vinification and ageing

Vinification at Château Ferrière is carried out on a plot-by-plot basis, prioritising indigenous yeasts and minimising additions. Fermentation temperatures are kept below 25°C, with gentle extraction via daily pump-overs. Maceration lasts approximately three weeks. The cellar is equipped with concrete and wooden vats, complemented by egg-shaped concrete vats introduced in 2012.

Ageing for the grand vin lasts 18 months, combining new oak barrels (around 35% to 40%), one-wine barrels (around 35% to 40%), egg-shaped concrete vats (20%), and amphorae (10%).