Château des Laurets

Château des Laurets is a Bordeaux wine estate located in France's Libournais area and associated with the Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion and Montagne-Saint-Émilion appellations. The property covers approximately 86 hectares and is positioned on south-facing slopes, with soils that can include clay-limestone hilltops. Its wines are made primarily from Merlot, supported by Cabernet Franc, reflecting the grape varieties and growing conditions commonly associated with the Saint-Émilion satellite appellations. The estate was acquired in 2003 by Benjamin and Ariane de Rothschild. Their stated ambition was to develop Château des Laurets into a reference property in the Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion and Montagne-Saint-Émilion areas, drawing on experience associated with Château Clarke and technical guidance from oenologist Michel Rolland. This ownership and consulting framework placed the estate within a broader strategy of applying château-level viticultural and winemaking practices to Bordeaux properties outside the region's most prestigious classified growths. The principal wine is based on older vines and is composed almost entirely of Merlot, with a reported blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. The wine is matured in barrels for approximately 15 to 18 months. The resulting brand positioning is that of a premium Bordeaux estate wine emphasizing terroir, mature-vine fruit, Merlot-based structure, and extended barrel ageing rather than a broad portfolio of unrelated products. Publicly available reference material provides limited information about the estate's founding date, distribution markets, corporate structure, production volume, current management, and recent commercial activity. Château des Laurets is therefore best described as a focused wine-estate brand whose identity is anchored in its Bordeaux vineyards, Rothschild ownership, and the two appellations in which it operates.

Château des Laurets is a wine estate in Bordeaux associated with the Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion and Montagne-Saint-Émilion appellations. The property extends across about 86 hectares and occupies south-facing slopes, with parts of the vineyard characterized by clay-limestone hilltops. These physical features form the basis of the estate's terroir identity and distinguish its wines within the Saint-Émilion satellite appellations. A major change in the estate's modern history occurred in 2003, when Benjamin and Ariane de Rothschild acquired the property. Under their ownership, Château des Laurets was developed with the ambition of becoming a leading reference in its two appellation areas. The project drew on the owners' experience with Château Clarke and included advice from oenologist Michel Rolland. The available historical record does not provide a detailed chronology of earlier ownership, construction, or vineyard development before the acquisition. The estate's principal red wine is made from older grapevines. Its reported composition is 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, a blend that gives Merlot the dominant role while retaining Cabernet Franc as a supporting variety. The wine is aged in barrels for approximately 15 to 18 months. This production approach emphasizes concentration from mature vines, the expression of the estate's clay-limestone and sloping sites, and a polished style supported by barrel maturation. Reference material does not establish a separate founding year, a complete management history, production quantities, export footprint, or a detailed sequence of later strategic decisions. Consequently, the best-documented history of Château des Laurets begins with its 2003 acquisition and focuses on the estate's landholding, ownership, viticulture, and wine-making profile.

1. 2003Acquisition by Benjamin and Ariane de Rothschild

   Benjamin and Ariane de Rothschild purchased Château des Laurets, beginning the modern ownership period documented in the available reference material.

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A premium Bordeaux estate wine centered on Merlot-led red wine from the Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion and Montagne-Saint-Émilion appellations, with mature vines and extended barrel ageing.

• Château des LauretsRed Bordeaux wine

  The estate's principal wine is a red Bordeaux produced from older vines in the Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion and Montagne-Saint-Émilion areas. The reported blend is approximately 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. It is matured in barrels for around 15 to 18 months, giving the wine an estate-focused profile built around Merlot, the property's slopes and clay-limestone soils, and extended ageing before release.

• 2003Develop Château des Laurets as a reference estateStrategy

  Following their acquisition, Benjamin and Ariane de Rothschild sought to establish the estate as a reference in the Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion and Montagne-Saint-Émilion regions, drawing on experience from Château Clarke.

  What changed. The owners applied a quality-oriented estate strategy supported by advice from oenologist Michel Rolland and focused on the property's vineyard resources and Merlot-led wine.

  Aftermath. The estate's documented identity became associated with Rothschild ownership, mature-vine fruit, a predominantly Merlot blend, and 15- to 18-month barrel ageing.

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1. Château des Laurets