SIX UNIQUE TERROIRS, THE REAL TREASURE IN OUR CHATEAUX

Since they first began planting in the Médoc two hundred years ago, the Bouey Family has been justifiably proud of their exceptional vine-growing land and the exceptional estates that work them.

The Bouey Family and Stéphane Derenoncourt work together on these six Château estates and apply methods whose focus is the earth itself. They know that the type of soil and sub-soil below that will determine how the vine grows and the wine develops.

Here in the Médoc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are by far the dominant grape varieties, with the occasional plot of Petit Verdot and Cot, otherwise known as Malbec.
Each Château, and sometimes each individual plot, has its own unique proportion of chalk, sand, clay, silt and gravel in its soil.

The sheer variety of soil types, both at the surface and deeper underneath, will have a direct impact on how quickly the earth warms up in spring, how much water it can retain, the nourishment it affords the vine, the soil acidity and even the micro-climate around that particular plot. Moreover, it will govern how the grapes ripen and their composition, from their aromatic diversity to the quality and quantity of their tannins.

Château
Maison Blanche

A HISTORIC CHATEAU, WHERE CRU BOURGEOIS BECOMES CONTEMPORARY MEDOC

With Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc planted on soils rich in clay and lime, Château Maison Blanche is very much a classic Médoc estate...
With Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc planted on soils rich in clay and lime, Château Maison Blanche is very much a classic Médoc estate. It is the family’s oldest Château, and all of the vines planted here have long since reached maturity.

These old vines bring character and density to the wine, without losing either the velvet on the palate or the soft finish. With their deep roots and access to low-lying water, these vines are less affected by changes in the weather throughout the year.
Notes
2016

92/100
JAMES SUCKLING

TOP 30
NEAL MARTIN

2017

90/100
JAMES SUCKLING

OR
PARIS

2018

91/100
JAMES SUCKLING

92-92
TERRE DE VIN
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Château
Lestruelle

WHEN FRUIT TAKES CENTRE STAGE

The soil at Château Lestruelle consists predominantly of silt carried in by the river. While clearly not the richest soil of the Bouey...
The soil at Château Lestruelle consists predominantly of silt carried in by the river.

While clearly not the richest soil of the Bouey Family estates, it does allow the family to focus on the fruit. Indeed, at Château Lestruelle, the winemaker has almost as much sway over the style as the grower. The vines are leafed not once but twice, allowing the fruit to reach peak maturity before harvest.

Once picked, they take the utmost care to extract the best from the grapes - but not going too far, which can lead to a “harder” wine. These wines are then fermented and matured in a variety of barrels to develop complex and subtle aromas, enhancing the fruit without overwhelming it. The result is a sincere, modern and approachable wine, and a firm favorite to this day.
Notes
2016

92/100
JAMES SUCKLING

15,5/20
LE FIGARO VIN

Médaille d'Or
PARIS

2017

15,5/20
LE FIGARO VIN

OR
PARIS

2018

91/100
WINE ENTHUSIAST

90/100
ANDREAS LARSON
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Château
La Ribaud

A MODERN MEDOC CRU BOURGEOIS: COMPLEX, RICH AND GENEROUS

Château la Ribaud has been the family’s most-improved estate over the past few years. The soil structure is interesting here: the surface layer is...
Château la Ribaud has been the family’s most-improved estate over the past few years. The soil structure is interesting here: the surface layer is mostly clay, which sits atop deeper strata of chalky soil and limestone. This can be harnessed to produce powerful yet restrained wines, whose tannins soften delicately over time. On the nose, Château la Ribaud leads with aromas of forest fruit.
Reticent at first, a little patience is rewarded and the wine will begin to blossom in the carafe. The palate opens with huge, meaty and powerful flavors, before softening slightly to a rich mid-palate.
Notes
2016

BEST MERLOT
CITADELLES

91/100
JAMES SUCKLING

2017

15,5/20
LE FIGARO VIN

2018

90/100
JAMES SUCKLING

90/100
YVES BECK
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Château
Le Plantey

NO ADDED SULPHITES

The Bouey Family team focuses on preserving the fresh fruit that is so characteristic of Château Le Plantey, using gentle extraction to keep the...
The Bouey Family team focuses on preserving the fresh fruit that is so characteristic of Château Le Plantey, using gentle extraction to keep the tannins soft and create a rich, rounded wine. This is a fine example of Stéphane Derenoncourt’s approach to tending vines and crafting wines.

His techniques include bio-controlled seeding, inter-row plowing, under-vine weeding, Guyot pruning, manual crown suckering, leafing, thinning and single-plot harvesting. And while there are a number of challenges involved in keeping the oxygen out of this sulfite-free wine, the richness, generosity and ethereal delight of this wine are more than worth the effort.
Notes
2019

90/100
ANDREAS LARSSON
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Château
Du Mont

EVERY GREAT WINE BEGINS ON THE VINE

Château Du Mont produces wine from exceptional soils, studded with gravel crushed by Pyrenean glaciers and carried down to the present-day estate...
Château Du Mont produces wine from exceptional soils, studded with gravel crushed by Pyrenean glaciers and carried down to the present-day estate in the Quaternary Era. This provides excellent soil ventilation and helps prevent the spread of botrytis. With this, however, comes a delicate balance: in particularly dry summers, grapes can dry out a little and yields can suffer.

All in all, the wines from Château Du Mont have a typical Médoc profile. They are expressive on the nose, offering up subtle and complex notes of spice and smoke, while aromas of roasted red pepper can add a certain freshness to the mix.
Notes
2015

91/100
JAMES SUCKLING

2016

92/100
JAMES SUCKLING

2018

92/100
JAMES SUCKLING
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Château
La France Delhomme

IN HOMAGE TO OUR FAMILY

When the Bouey Family first purchased the estate, they renamed it “Château La France Delhomme” in honor of one of their ancestors. The wines...
When the Bouey Family first purchased the estate, they renamed it “Château La France Delhomme” in honor of one of their ancestors. The wines produced here owe their distinct character to vineyards planted overwhelmingly with Merlot (90%), and to its sandy and chalky soil.

This may not sound unusual, but it is a rare soil type indeed: the sand in the soil was actually carried in by winds from the West. Aeolian sand, as it is known, is extremely rare in the Gironde. When incorporated into the soil, it reduces its capacity to retain water and allows it to warm up faster in the spring, bringing the vines’ natural cycle forward in relation to their neighbors. It is this sand that ensures that the vines here bud and fruit earlier than on any other Bouey Family estate. These vines produce a wine which is completely unique, bursting with red berries, blackcurrants and plums, and matured to develop spice notes.
Notes
2016

93/100
JAMES SUCKLING

92/100
WINE ADVOCATE

Or
LYON

2017

16,5/20
LE FIGARO VIN

1*
GUIDE HACHETTE

Or
BORDEAUX

2018

90/100
ANDREAS LARSON

Or
PARIS
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Technical sheet

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