French banking group BPCE (Banque Populaire Caisse d’Epargne) has sold four Bordeaux estates to the Cathiard and Moulin-Houzé families: Chateau Beauregard in Pomerol, Chateau Pavillon de Beauregard in Lalande-de-Pomerol, Chateau Bastor-Lamontagne in Sauternes and Chateau Saint-Robert in Graves. In total the estates have 110 hectares of vines, producing red, dry white and sweet white wines.
Chateau Beauregard, which is situated close to Chateau Petit-Village, has been owned by BPCE since 1991. It is a relatively large estate by Pomerol standards, with 17.5 hectares of vines in a single block planted with 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc and producing 80,000 to 100,000 bottles per year. The chateau is an elegant chartreuse, dating from 1795, which is surrounded by beautiful gardens. Chateau Pavillon de Beauregard (formerly Chateau Pavillon Bel-Air) in Lalande-de-Pomerol was acquired in 2003 and has 8.3 hectares of vines also planted with 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc and producing 30,000 to 45,000 bottles per year.
Chateau Bastor-Lamontagne is situated in the commune of Preignac and covers a total of 100 hectares, of which 53 hectares are planted with vines – 80% Semillon, 17% Sauvignon and 3% Muscadelle. The estate produces between 70,000 and 140,000 bottles of sweet wine and 10,000 bottles of dry white wine per year. The fourth property, Chateau Saint-Robert, is situated nearby in the commune of Pujols-sur-Ciron. The estate covers 56 hectares, including 34 hectares of vines (28 hectares of red and 6 hectares of white) planted with 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc for the red wines and 80% Sauvignon, 15% Semillon and 5% Muscadelle for the white wines. Annual production is between 150,000 and 190,000 bottles per year.
This is the first vineyard acquisition for the Moulin-Houzé family. Through their holding company, Motier SAS, they own the Galeries Lafayette departments store chain as well as stakes in other well-known French retailers, such as Monoprix. The Cathiard family, who have bought a minority stake and will oversee their day-to-day running of the four estates, already own three properties in Pessac-Léognan: Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, Chateau Cantelys and Chateau Le Thil Comte Clary.