Château la Cardonne

Identity

Château La Cardonne is situated in the commune of Blaignan-Prignac. The estate belongs to the Domaines CGR group. Magali Guyon is the estate's winemaker. Andrew Mcinnes has served as managing director since 2009. The estate employs a permanent team of 31 people. The property has been owned since 2016 by Yingzhi "Larissa" Huang.

History and philosophy

Château La Cardonne appears on the Cassini and Pierre de Belleyme maps as early as 1769 and is mentioned in the first edition of Féret around 1850. It was ranked among the Crus Bourgeois in 1932. In 1970, a complete restructuring was undertaken. From 1973, under the ownership of Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) for nearly forty years, the vineyard underwent a major overhaul, including land consolidation, drainage, and replanting.

In 1990, new owners took over the estate, continuing improvement efforts with the construction of modernised buildings and an underground cellar. In 2016, Château La Cardonne underwent renovations, bringing new winery equipment and expanding its wine tourism offerings. The estate is committed to environmental respect, sustainable agriculture, mindful stewardship of its land, and meticulous care of the fruit.

In 2018, Château La Cardonne achieved Cru Bourgeois Supérieur classification. In 2025, it will be promoted to the rank of Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel.

The appellations

The estate produces wines under the Médoc appellation, with the Cru Bourgeois distinction.

Practical information

The estate is located in 33340 Blaignan-Prignac. The telephone number is 05 56 73 31 51 and the email address is cgr@domaines-cgr.com. Visits are by appointment and include exploring the grape variety collection, touring the underground cellar, and a tasting. The estate also offers blending workshops and a gourmet food market. A new building with a panoramic tasting room and a terrace has been created. The wine shop is open Monday to Thursday from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm and from 1:30 pm to 5:00 pm, and Friday from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm, by appointment.

Find out more

The vineyard (terroir)

The Château La Cardonne vineyard extends over 51 hectares, within a total property area of 112 hectares. The plots are distributed across the communes of Blaignan, Ordonnac, and Prignac. The soils consist of fine gravel over a limestone bedrock. The estate is situated at the highest point in the North of the Médoc. The average age of the vines is 35 years. The grape varieties planted comprise 47% Merlot, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Cabernet Franc. By 2025, the vineyard will count 624,282 vine plants and around 542 rosebushes. The estate is HVE3 certified and the harvest is mechanical. Annual production reaches 400,000 bottles.

Signature cuvées

Château La Cardonne produces a still red wine. This wine is characterised by aromas of dark fruit (blackcurrant, blackberry), liquorice, and coffee. It displays an elegant and complex profile, with an ageing potential of over 10 years.

Vinification and ageing

The wine is aged in vats and oak casks, notably Bordeaux barriques. Ageing in barrels is followed by extended maturation in an underground cellar known as "la Cathédrale". The estate's cellar can store up to 2.5 million bottles, and wines are kept for around ten years, with an average release age of six years.