Château Rahoul

Identity

Château Rahoul is located in the commune of Portets, in Gironde. It has been owned by Alain Thiénot since 1986 and managed by the Vignobles Dourthe team since 2007. The Cellar Master is Valentin Jestin, under the supervision of Pénélope Godefroy. The Estate Manager is Pierre Estorge.

History and philosophy

Château Rahoul has had a proven viticultural vocation since the 18th century, although the chartreuse was built as early as 1646 by Chevalier Guillaume Rahoul. The Balguerie family acquired the estate in 1734 and erected the entrance gate in 1819. Subsequently, the estate was purchased by comte de Camiran in 1862, then by David Robson in 1972 and Len Evans in 1978. The property began bottling and marketing its wines in the 1970s. In 1980, Château Rahoul was admitted to the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux for its white wines, a distinction confirmed in 1984. In 1986, Alain Thiénot acquired the property. Since 2007, the estate has been managed by the Maison Dourthe team. In 2012, the cellars dedicated to white winemaking were renovated. The estate favours organic products and biocontrol, with sustainable vineyard protection introduced in 1995 and HVE 3 certification.

Appellations

Château Rahoul produces wines under the Graves appellation.

Practical information

Château Rahoul is located at 4, route du Courneau, 33640 Portets. The estate can be contacted by telephone on +33 5 56 35 53 00 or by email at contact@dourthe.com. Visits and tastings are available by appointment. The estate does not offer bed and breakfast accommodation, self-catering gîtes, or on-site catering. Mail order is available, but cellar-door direct sales are not specified.

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The vineyard (terroir)

The Château Rahoul vineyard covers a total area of 40 hectares. It is planted on sandy-gravelly and sandy-clay soils in the commune of Portets. The average vine age is 25 years, with a planting density of 5,600 vines per hectare. Pruning is carried out using the Guyot Poussard method, debudding is done by hand, and tillage is mechanical. The estate practices controlled grass cover. Chemical treatments free from CMR substances (carcinogens, mutagens, reprotoxic agents) are prioritised.

The grape varieties for the red wines are predominantly Merlot (67%), complemented by Cabernet-Sauvignon (30%) and Petit Verdot (2%). For the white wines, plantings are dominated by Sémillon (76%) and Sauvignon (24%). Harvesting for the white grapes is manual, while red grapes are picked using a combination of mechanical and manual methods.

Flagship cuvées

The estate offers several cuvées, notably Château Rahoul Rouge and Château Rahoul Blanc, both within the Graves appellation. A red second wine is also crafted, L'Orangerie de Rahoul.

The red wines, composed mainly of Merlot, Cabernet-Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, typically display red and black fruit aromas, with a structure offering good ageing potential.

The white wines, crafted from Sémillon and Sauvignon, are renowned for their fruity aromatic expression and freshness.

Vinification and ageing

For the red wines, maceration lasts between 15 and 20 days. Ageing takes place in oak barrels for approximately 12 to 14 months. The white wines are aged in barrels for 8 to 9 months. Stainless steel vats are used for vinification. The second wine, L'Orangerie, is aged in vats.