Chateau Marquis de Terme

Château Marquis de Terme is a classified fourth growth Grand Cru Classé estate in the Margaux appellation of Bordeaux's Médoc wine region, on the so-called left bank of the Gironde estuary, some 30km (18 miles) north of Bordeaux city. The château itself is situated on the southern edge of Margaux (now, administratively, known as Margaux-Cantenac) village. Neighbors include Château Lascombes to the northwest, Durfort-Vivens to the northeast, and Rauzan-Ségla and Rauzan-Gassies to the south. Unlike the majoirty of its neighbors, however, Marquis de Terme has remained in the ownership of the same family since the mid 1930s.

The estate can trace its history back to 1762 when François de Peguilhan, Marquis de Terme, married Mademoiselle Ledoulx of Emple, whose dowry was the estate, which subsequently took the Marquis' title. As with many estates owned by the landed gentry, the property was sequestered during the French Revolution and a succession of ownerships followed. Nonetheless, during much of the 19th Century, the estate was run by the Feuillerat family, giving some degree of continuity. The family finally took over the estate although the Wall Street Crash in 1929, and its effects, forced the Feuillerats to sell. In 1935, the château was bought by Pierre Sénéclauze who then passed it on to his three sons Pierre-Louis, Philippe and Jean. From 2009 onwards the management of the estate has fallen to General Manager Ludovic David who works in close collaboration with the Sénéclauze family.

The 40 hectares (99 acres) of estate vineyard are picked by hand each year, producing approximately 13,000 cases of wine annually. The vines, some of which are around 40 years old, are planted in high gravel soils and are made up of 55 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 35 percent Merlot, seven percent Petit Verdot and three percent Cabernet Franc. Vinification takes place in concrete vats and ageing in (40 percent new) oak barriques for an average of 18 months. In addition to the grand vin, Château Marquis de Terme produces a second wine called La Couronne de Marquis de Terme. Launched in 2008, La Couronne de Marquis de Terme is a blend consisting of around 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 30 percent Merlot with the remainder, Petit Verdot. Since 2017, the estate has been run organically.

Sitting on the doorstep of Margaux, Château Marquis de Terme is emblematic of both how many Bordeaux châteaux were once created and of the famous Margaux terroir. Though a Grand Cru Classé and world-renowned wine, the family has catapulted the château into modern times.