Château Lilian Ladouys
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Château Lilian Ladouys is a historic winegrowing estate in Saint-Estèphe, owned by the Lorenzetti family since 2008. Classified as Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, it spans 80.5 hectares and has been certified in Organic Agriculture since 2024.
Identity
Château Lilian Ladouys is a winegrowing estate located in Saint-Estèphe, in the Gironde. It has been owned by the Lorenzetti family since 2008.
Day-to-day management has been overseen by Manon Lorenzetti since 2018. Emmanuel Cruse serves as general manager, with Vincent Bache-Gabrielsen as technical and estate director. Frédéric Godart is the cellar master and Ludovic Wallet the vineyard manager. Éric Boissenot acts as consulting oenologist.
History and philosophy
The origins of Château Lilian Ladouys date back to the 16th century. It was listed among the top Saint-Estèphe estates in the very first edition of Cocks & Féret. During the 18th and 19th centuries, it remained in the hands of the Barre family for over 150 years.
In the 1980s, Christian Thiéblot purchased the property. The Lorenzetti family, represented by Jacky Lorenzetti, acquired the château in 2008. This acquisition marked a new chapter for the estate, featuring a new vat room inaugurated in 2009 and the renovation of technical facilities in 2019, overseen by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte.
In 2015, Château Lilian Ladouys won the Coupe des Crus Bourgeois. Classified as Cru Bourgeois Supérieur in 1932 and 2003, the estate was promoted to Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel in 2020.
Château Lilian Ladouys is committed to environmentally responsible practices. The vineyard was certified High Environmental Value (HVE) in 2017, and the entire estate entered official organic conversion in 2020, achieving Organic Agriculture certification in 2024.
The appellations
Château Lilian Ladouys produces wines under the Saint-Estèphe appellation.
Practical information
Château Lilian Ladouys is located at Blanquet, 33180 Saint-Estèphe.
Telephone: +33 (0)5 56 59 71 96
Email: contact@chateau-lilian-ladouys.com
The estate offers visits and tastings by appointment. Opening hours vary by season:
- April to October: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm.
- November to March: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm.
The estate is closed on weekends and public holidays.
Two tour formats are available: the Tradition Tour (1 hour, tasting of 2 wines) and the Au Fil du Temps Tour (1 hour, tasting of 3 wines). Groups of 5 to 10 people can be accommodated. An on-site shop is available. The estate accepts credit cards, cheques, and cash. It is accessible for pushchairs and offers Wi-Fi.
Find out more
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Château Lilian Ladouys located and who currently owns it?
- Château Lilian Ladouys is located in Saint-Estèphe, in the Gironde department. It has been owned by the Lorenzetti family since 2008. Manon Lorenzetti oversees daily management, while Emmanuel Cruse serves as general manager. Vincent Bache-Gabrielsen is the estate's technical and operational director.
- What environmental certifications has Château Lilian Ladouys achieved?
- Château Lilian Ladouys is deeply committed to sustainable practices. The estate earned High Environmental Value (HVE) certification in 2017. Furthermore, it began its official organic conversion in 2020 and achieved Organic Agriculture certification in 2024, reflecting sustainable viticultural and farming methods throughout.
- What is the vineyard's grape variety composition and terroir?
- The vineyard of Château Lilian Ladouys spans 42.4 hectares. The grape variety breakdown is 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc. The terroir features a combination of clay-limestone soils and terrace gravels with large pebbles.
- How are vinification and ageing carried out at Château Lilian Ladouys?
- Vinification at Château Lilian Ladouys takes place in a modern two-tier vat room designed for gravity-fed vatting and winemaking. Cold pre-fermentation maceration is employed, followed by rack-and-return (délestage) for gentle extraction. Total maceration lasts up to three and a half weeks. The first wine is aged for 14 months, including 13 months in barrels with 40% new oak, using 400-litre casks, 225-litre Bordeaux barriques, and 228-litre Burgundy barrels.
The vineyard (terroir)
The vineyard of Château Lilian Ladouys covers approximately 80.5 hectares. It is composed of 2/3 Peyrosol soils and 1/3 clay-limestone soils, alongside terrace gravels. Planting density ranges between 8,500 and 10,000 vines/ha, with an average of 8,500 vines/ha. The average age of the vines is around 35 years. The vineyard is divided into 246 parcels.
The current grape variety breakdown is as follows: 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc. Cultivation practices include window pruning, shoot thinning, leaf stripping, and soil tillage tailored to the vigour of each plot. Harvesting is carried out by hand, followed by manual sorting of bunches and then individual berries.
Flagship cuvées
Château Lilian Ladouys is the estate's Grand Vin. It is a still red wine. The blend varies with each vintage, but it is typically dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, complemented by Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The wines often display a fruity nose with black and red fruit notes, leading to a generous, dense, and intense palate framed by velvety tannins. They may also reveal aromas of liquorice, orange peel, and cocoa. Average annual production is approximately 270,000 bottles.
The estate's second wine is La Devise de Lilian. Depending on the vintage, the blend varies, showing a predominance of either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.
Vinification and ageing
Vinification takes place in a two-tier vat room, utilising gravity-led vatting and winemaking. A cold pre-fermentation maceration is carried out, followed by rack-and-return (délestage) for gentle extraction. Total maceration time reaches up to three and a half weeks.
Ageing for the first wine, Château Lilian Ladouys, lasts 14 months, including 13 months in barrels, with 40% new oak. The casks used include 400-litre barrels, 225-litre Bordeaux barriques, and 228-litre Burgundy barrels.
- Appellation
- Saint-Estèphe
- Commune
- Saint-Estèphe
- Wine region
- Médoc
- Owner
- famille Lorenzetti
- Technical direction
- Vincent Bache-Gabrielsen
- Surface area
- 42.4 ha
- Second wine
- La Devise de Lilian
- Certifications
- Bio, HVE
- Grape varieties
- Cabernet Sauvignon 47%, Merlot 40%, Petit Verdot 10%, Cabernet Franc 3%
Practical information
- Address
- Blanquet, 33180 Saint-Estèphe
- Phone
- 05 56 59 71 96
- Contact form
- Contact the estate
- Visits
- Vineyard visits