Liber Pater

Identity

Château Liber Pater is a winegrowing estate located in the commune of Landiras, in the Gironde département. It is run by Loïc Pasquet, who acts as its owner, estate director, cellar master, and vineyard manager.

History and Philosophy

The Liber Pater vineyard is documented in notarial deeds dating back to 1736 and features on the 1760 Cassini map. Loïc Pasquet settled in Landiras in 2005, and the estate's maiden vintage was produced in 2006.

The estate's philosophy is to rediscover the original taste of Bordeaux wines from the pre-phylloxera era. This approach is reflected in a commitment to producing rare and precious wines, reintroducing ancient grape varieties, and cultivating ungrafted vines (franc de pied). The estate is certified organic, with a profound respect for the environment.

Appellations

The estate's parcels are situated within the commune of Landiras. The property produces wines under the Graves Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée, as well as under the Vin de France and Vin de Pays designations. Certain white cuvées may also be marketed under the Graves Supérieures appellation.

Practical Information

Address: Barreyre, 33720 Landiras

Telephone: 06 37 20 19 58

Email: info@liber-pater.com

Tastings and direct cellar-door sales are available. Visits are strictly by appointment.

Find Out More

Official estate website

The Vineyard (Terroir)

The Liber Pater vineyard covers a planted area of 5 hectares, comprising 4 hectares dedicated to red grape varieties and 1 hectare to white grape varieties. The soils consist of fine, deep gravel dating from the Tertiary era, typical of the Graves appellation. The local microclimate is characterised by mild, wet winters, slightly damp springs, dry summers, and warm, sunny autumns.

The average age of the vines is around forty years. Tillage is carried out with draught horses rather than tractors. Harvesting is performed entirely by hand. Maximum planting density reaches up to 20,000 vines per hectare.

The red grape varieties mainly include Cabernet-Sauvignon (67%), Castets (10%), Petit Verdot (9%), along with other red varieties (13%) and Merlot (1%). For the white grape varieties, Sémillon dominates (96%), complemented by Camaralet (2%) and other white varieties (2%). Ancient varieties such as Castets, Mancin, and Saint-Macaire have been reintroduced. Saint-Macaire, a historic grape variety, offers notable aromatic potential with notes of pepper and fresh red fruit, accompanied by fine acidity.

Flagship Cuvées

Domaine Liber Pater produces both red and white wines. Among the red cuvées are Liber Pater and Denarius, as well as specialised bottlings such as Liber Pater Collection "Le rêve", Liber Pater Collection "La Feuille" 2007, and Liber Pater Collection "La Scène" for the 2007 vintage. For whites, the estate offers Liber Pater and Liber Pater Collection "L'Orage", alongside the Tetradrachmos cuvée, also known as Naxos.

In 2015, a distinct cuvée was crafted exclusively from ungrafted vines (franc de pied), notably featuring varieties such as petite-vidure (an ancestral name for Cabernet-Sauvignon), Petit Verdot, and Malbec. This cuvée was vinified and aged in stoneware jars.

Vinification and Ageing

Vinification at Liber Pater is carried out in stoneware jars for certain recent cuvées, and historically in new oak barrels for older vintages. For example, for the 2006 vintage, vinification took place directly in Tronçais oak casks. Ageing is also carried out in new oak barrels or in small stoneware vats and jars.