Chateau Les Grands Chenes

Chateau Les Grands Chenes by Bernard Magrez. Bernard Magrez – both the man himself and his business – is a notable powerhouse in the international wine industry, based in Bordeaux but producing wine over the world. The heart of his operation consists of four Grand Cru Classé properties: Château Pape Clément in Pessac-Léognan, Château La Tour Carnet in the Haut-Médoc, Château Fombrauge in Saint-Émilion and Clos Haut-Peyraguey in Sauternes. He previously made his fortune as the founder of the William Pitters spirits company and the low-cost Bordeaux brand Malesan. Bernard Magrez Grands Vignobles (BMGV) produces another 10 Bordeaux labels. Around 14 different wines come from the Languedoc-Roussillon region, and the French portfolio is completed by white wines from the Côtes de Gascogne and Provence rosés made at Château des Muraires.

The Spanish portfolio includes wines from Priorat, Toro and Jumilla, plus a Vino de la Tierra de Castilla, while the Douro Tinto Vale Magrez is the sole Portuguese representative. Further afield, wines are also made in Morocco and Japan, and the South American lineup boasts a trio of wines from Uruguay plus two each from Chile and Argentina. The Bernard Magrez Cabernet Sauvignon is his foray in the Californian wine trade. The first vintage was produced in 2010, with fruit sourced from the famed two-hectare (5-acre) Beckstoffer Dr Crane Vineyard in St Helena. BMGV also owns the five-star hotel La Grande Maison de Bernard Magrez in central Bordeaux, and supports the major art gallery Institute Culturel Bernard Magrez.

This wine ranks naturally alongside the Grand Cru Classé wines of Bernard Magrez: Château Pape Clément, Château La Tour Carnet, Château Fombrauge and Clos Haut Peyraguey. Situated in exceptional terroir and for too many years overlooked, this estate was given a new lease of life by Bernard Magrez. It was a project that he had mulled over for 10 years. During that time, he had searched for that special gem, that outstanding terroir in which a great wine could be born, and he finally found it here on the famous hill of Saint Christoly-du-Médoc, which overlooks the spot where the river meets the ocean. He invested all his savoir-faire and passion in the new project, just as he had done at his 4 Grand Cru Classé estates. Today, this estate has achieved international acclaim for both its special qualities and its value for money, making it one of the most attractive wines produced in Bordeaux.