Located in Saint-Yzans-de-Médoc, six kilomètres from Saint-Estèphe, the Château Loudenne has overlooked the Gironde estuary since 1670.
It is one of the oldest estates in the region in the Médoc appellation and is nicknamed « the pink Château », due to the colour of the walls of its charterhouse, typically Médoc. Pink came to be its emblem and the colour still features on its labels today.
The history of Château Loudenne
In 1875, two British merchants were the château owners and they exported their wines to London and the whole world via their private port at Loudenne. The Château became a big reception and party venue where world-famous stars regularly stayed.
For 125 years, the English Gilbey family – which owns the British company Diageo, the biggest global group in the alcohol and spirit market – developed this legendary estate. The Chinese group Kweichow Moutai and the cognac house Camus took over the château in 2013, but nine years later it went back on the market.
Since 2022, Christophe Gouache, an investor in the wine world who also owns Château Bellerive et le Château de Valeyrac in the Médoc, has run Château de Loudenne.
An ideal terroir for producing great wines
Looking after a terroir of 132 hectares, of which 31 are designated for red wine, the château is recognised as one of the closest properties to the Gironde estuary. This remarkable location ensures an ideal terroir due to the presence of the river close to its plots, which protects the vines from spring hail, keeps them cool during the hottest months and allows the grapes to reach an optimal ripeness. The vines, on average 41 years old, were planted on two clayey Graves Garonnais hilltops, anchored on a limestone plateau, favouring the production of fine wines. Cabernet sauvignon and merlot are the most planted grape varieties, while a small area is devoted to cabernet franc and petit verdot.
Château Loudenne conserving the environment of its vineyard
Having converted to biological agriculture in 2022 and certified HVE (High Environmental Value) level 3 since 2017, Château Loudenne is credibly committed to biodiversity and its ecosystem contributes to the development of the great wines of Bordeaux. The estate also keeps cattle and sheep freely grazing in the large spaces of the salt meadows, in affiliation with the conservation charter Nature 2000.
Iconic Médoc cuvées
The cuvées of Château Loudenne are rich, complex and refined ; the scents are fresh, the tannins silky and the finish enduring.
These pure wines are classified as Cru Bourgeois and Cru Bourgeois Supérieur depending on the year and represent the typical character of Médoc's fine labels.
