Château Haut-Goujon

Identity

Château Haut-Goujon is a family-owned estate located in Montagne, in the Gironde. The property has been owned by the Garde family for four generations. Mickaël Garde oversees winemaking, while Corinne Garde is in charge of administration and Valérie Garde handles sales and communication. Liliane Garde, mother of Mickaël and Corinne, is also involved in the management of the estate.

History and philosophy

The history of Château Haut-Goujon began in the early 20th century when Élie Garde, great-grandfather of the current owners, planted the first Merlot vines. The Garde family settled on the estate in 1912. In the 1950s, the vineyard covered 3 hectares, and in 1970, the estate released its first bottled wines. The current generation, represented by Mickaël and Corinne Garde, took over management in 1995. The estate is committed to environmentally friendly viticulture, certified Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE). The philosophy of the estate is guided by values of perseverance, sincerity, generosity, love, and respect for the land. Particular care is taken to ensure minimal sulphite use during vinification.

The appellations

Château Haut-Goujon produces wines under two distinct appellations: Lalande-de-Pomerol and Montagne Saint-Émilion.

Practical information

Château Haut-Goujon is located at 50 Route De Goujon, 33570 Montagne. The estate can be contacted by telephone on 05 57 51 50 05 and by email at contact@chateauhautgoujon.fr. The cellar door is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm, and on weekends by appointment. On-site tastings are available, as well as vineyard and cellar tours by appointment. Paid cellar tours can also be arranged. The estate offers a gîte accommodating up to 6 guests and a reception room for hire. Spoken languages are French and English. Accepted payment methods include bank cards, bank and postal cheques, and cash.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The vineyard of Château Haut-Goujon spans a total area of 18 hectares. The soils across the plots are varied, including clay-sandy-gravelly, sandy-gravelly, clay-gravelly, and clay-sandy profiles depending on the different appellations. The average age of the vines is between 25 and 30 years. The grape varieties primarily cultivated are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. Cultural practices include soil tillage, green manure cover cropping, and mechanical weeding.

Flagship cuvées

Château Haut-Goujon offers several cuvées, including Château Haut-Goujon Montagne Saint-Émilion, composed mainly of Merlot (80%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (20%). Partially aged in new French oak barrels, this wine is distinguished by an aromatic profile and structure that afford it fine ageing potential. The estate also produces a Château Haut-Goujon Lalande-de-Pomerol cuvée, with a blend dominated by Merlot. Other cuvées, such as La Rose Saint-Vincent, La Rosée, Carré de Soi, La Fleur du Barril, Cuvée Liberté, Cuvée Cabernet, and Cuvée Malbec, complete the estate's range. Certain cuvées reflect a commitment to producing wines with no added sulphites or the bare minimum required, such as Cuvée Liberté or Carré de Soi, which are at times aged without oak contact.

Vinification and ageing

Harvesting is carried out by hand with selective sorting. Vinification takes place in stainless steel vats, with a maceration period of around 25 days and temperature control throughout. Ageing varies according to the cuvée: for Château Haut-Goujon Montagne Saint-Émilion, 50% of the wine is aged in new French oak barrels and 50% in vats, with minimal sulphite addition at this stage. Bottling is carried out at the château under nitrogen inerting, using DIAM technical corks.