Château Jouvente

Identity

Château Jouvente is a family-owned winegrowing estate located in Illats, in the Gironde department. It is currently owned by the Gutmann family, with David Gutmann at the helm and Benjamin Gutmann serving as manager. The technical team is overseen by Olivier Bernadet, cellar master and technical director, with oenologist Pierre Meylheuc also lending his expertise. Emilie Gata is also among the estate's staff.

History and philosophy

The history of Château Jouvente has been marked by several defining milestones. Formerly known as Domaine d’Illats, the property was renamed in the early 20th century, with its current name meaning "youth" in Gascon. The manor house once served as a residence for manorial judges from the d’André family from the 16th to the mid-18th century. Acquired in the late 1980s, the vineyard was later purchased by Mr Zyla and Mrs Mercadier in 2003. David Gutmann has been the proprietor since 2016. The estate's first vines were planted in 1994. Château Jouvente is dedicated to a sustainable viticultural philosophy, employing a biocontrol programme and holding level 3 HVE certification. The estate is also celebrated for its wine tourism, having been ranked among the top ten wine tourism destinations in France for three consecutive years (2021, 2022, and 2023) by the magazine Terre de Vins.

Appellations

Château Jouvente produces wines under the Graves Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC). The estate also offers Sauternes wines in partnership with Château Roumieu, a property owned by Olivier Bernadet.

Practical information

Château Jouvente is situated at 1609 Route des Landes, 33720 Illats. The estate can be reached by telephone on +33 (0)5 56 62 49 69 and by email at accueil@chateau-jouvente.fr. It is open Monday to Friday, from 10:00 to 18:00. Château Jouvente offers tours, tastings, and wine tourism experiences, including a treasure hunt running from Easter to the end of October, as well as comprehensive tours of the vineyard, historic heritage, vat room, and cellars, followed by a tasting of 6 wines (reds, whites, rosé, Sauternes, across 2 AOCs and Vin de France). Complimentary 30-minute tastings are also available. The estate welcomes groups (5 to 30 people) and pets. Languages spoken include French and English. With a strong focus on wine tourism, art, and culture, the property provides amenities such as an on-site shop, an online boutique, click-and-collect, and delivery. Accepted payment methods include bank and credit cards, cheques, and cash. Château Jouvente has been an OenoVisa partner since 2020.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The Château Jouvente vineyard spans 8.7 hectares in the heart of the Graves appellation, around 30 km south of Bordeaux. The average age of the vines is 30 years. The soils consist of sandy gravel for the white grape varieties and clayey gravel for the red grape varieties. The red plantings comprise 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet-Sauvignon, and 10% Petit Verdot, while the whites are planted with 50% Sémillon, 30% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Sauvignon Gris, and 10% Muscadelle. Viticultural practices focus on responsible farming, controlled yields, traditional soil tillage, single Guyot pruning to manage yields, and integrated crop protection (lutte raisonnée). Harvesting is carried out by hand, with manual sorting in the cellar. The estate also boasts an underground cellar, which once served as the village jail.

Signature cuvées

Château Jouvente produces several flagship bottlings. Château Jouvente Graves Rouge is crafted from a blend of Merlot, Cabernet-Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot, aged for 12 months in oak barriques. La Source de Jouvente Graves Rouge is predominantly Merlot-based, complemented by Cabernet-Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, and is aged in stainless steel vats. The Cuvées Exceptionnelles, produced in limited volumes (between 1,500 and 2,500 bottles), feature at least 20% Petit Verdot and are fully vinified and aged in new 400-litre oak barrels. Château Jouvente Graves Blanc is a still white wine crafted from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, and Muscadelle; fermentation begins in stainless steel vats and finishes in French oak barrels, followed by 9 months of ageing on fine lees with regular bâtonnage. The wines are often celebrated for their fruity, floral, and fresh character. The estate also crafts La Fontaine de Jouvente, a gastronomic rosé with substantial body and notes of redcurrant, caramel, and liquorice. The names of certain cuvées may vary from vintage to vintage in honour of the owner's grandchildren.

Vinification and ageing

For the red wines, vinification includes complete destemming followed by a 4- to 5-week maceration in temperature-controlled vats, designed to achieve optimal extraction of colour and tannins. Following a selection of the finest parcels, ageing takes place for 12 months in oak barriques, a quarter of which are new. For the white wines, fermentation begins in stainless steel vats and finishes in French oak barrels. Ageing lasts 9 months on fine lees, with regular lees stirring (bâtonnage).