Château La Papeterie

Identity

Château La Papeterie is a winegrowing estate located in the commune of Néac, in the Gironde département. It is owned by the Estager family, with Charles Estager listed as owner and Claude and Charles Estager as current directors. François Estager is the estate manager, while Florent Faure serves as vineyard manager and cellar master.

History and philosophy

The name “La Papeterie” originates from the history of the property, established on the banks of the Barbanne, where a paper mill once stood. The estate's main building dates back to the late 18th century. The Estager family settled on the property in 1909 before acquiring it in 1934. The estate was formerly attached to the Pomerol appellation. Geographically, the château is situated along the Barbanne, a renowned stream that once formed a historic linguistic border.

In terms of viticultural philosophy, the estate is committed to farming practices that include sustainable treatments (lutte raisonnée), leaf thinning and green harvesting. Shallow soil tillage and cover cropping are also practised. The estate is certified HVE3 and is currently in conversion to organic farming.

Appellations

Château La Papeterie primarily produces wines under the Montagne-Saint-Émilion appellation. The estate also holds plots that yield wines under the Pomerol, Lalande de Pomerol and Saint-Émilion appellations.

Flagship wines

The wine of Château La Papeterie displays a deep ruby hue. The bouquet is refined and elegant, with aromas of blackberries, black cherries, toasted bread and vanilla. On the palate, the attack is round and supple, delivering a well-balanced wine with fine aromatic persistence and good ageing potential. Annual production ranges between 4,000 and 5,000 cases, or approximately 45,000 bottles.

Practical information

Château La Papeterie is located at: Château Fougeailles, 33500 Néac. For enquiries, the estate can be contacted by telephone on +33 (0)5 57 51 35 09 or by email at contact@estager-vin.com. The estate is not open for visits and does not offer direct sales at the property or mail order.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The vineyard of Château La Papeterie spans 10 hectares in a single contiguous block, planted across hillsides and slopes. The soils are clay and clay-limestone, over a limestone subsoil featuring iron-pan (alios) concretions, locally known as “crasses” (alios being sand cemented by iron oxides and colloids). The portion of the vineyard in the Montagne-Saint-Émilion appellation covers 3 hectares on sandy-loam soils over clay. Planting density is 6,500 vines per hectare, with an average vine age of 28 years in 2012. Pruning methods include single Guyot and traditional Bordeaux pruning. The average yield ranges from 45 to 50 hectolitres per hectare.

The grape varieties are dominated by Merlot (70%), complemented by Cabernet Franc (30%).

Vinification and ageing

Harvesting is carried out by hand parcel by parcel, taking into account the grape variety, terroir and ripeness of each batch. Grape selection is rigorous, including double sorting to retain only the finest fruit. Vinification is traditional, conducted in small epoxy-lined concrete vats, with regular pump-overs and punch-downs. Temperature-control systems allow precise thermal management. Maceration is extended, lasting four to six weeks in stainless-steel vats, or around twenty days depending on sources.

Following vatting, the wine is aged in French oak barrels. Ageing lasts approximately twelve to twenty months, with around 30% new oak. The final blend is determined through successive tastings and rigorous selection, approved prior to estate bottling.