Château La Garde
AOC Pessac Léognan
Grand vin de Graves
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At one with nature
We simply could not resist the exceptional quality of the terroir, arguably one of the finest gravel outcrops in the Pessac-Leognan appellation. The 2021 vintage saw the inauguration of new winemaking facilities at Château La Garde. Adapted specifically to handle the unique mosaic of soils, the winery is instrumental in creating a Pessac-Leognan grand vin: elegant, pure and highly distinctive.
Located right in the heart of Pessac-Léognan, Château La Garde occupies one of the appellation’s finest gravel outcrops.Le Figaro Magazine
Key facts
94/100
Bettane et Desseauve
27
unique soil types
0
CMR / chemical fertilisers / insecticides / herbicides
Planting
34 Ha Merlot
15 Ha Cabernet Sauvignon
1 Ha Petit Verdot
3,5 Ha Sauvignon Blanc
0,5 Ha Semillon
Soil profile
The vineyard is made up of a single block of vines, displaying 27 different soil types, and spanning 3 alternating valleys and plateaux overlooking Martillac. A rich diversity of soils is intersected by veins of clay and sand of varying depths..
Total surface area
50 Ha red wine
4 Ha white wine
Ageworthy wines
Vintage after vintage, the wines at Château La Garde, are living proof of the quality of this fine terroir in Pessac-Leognan, and of our passion to reveal its true expression.
The red wines are powerful and rich. These are wines that will age well, with their robust structure and concentration. Rounded and supple, they reveal all the elegance and finesse of the terroir.
The white wines at Pessac-Leognan are original in character and reveal the pure mineral expression so characteristic of sauvignon blanc, the predominant grape variety at the château, while enhancing the qualities of semillon.
27 different soil types in a single expanse of vines
Spanning 54 hectares, the vineyard at La Garde is located at the crossroads of several expanses of soils typical of the Pessac Leognan appellation. Extensive soil studies have identified as many as 27 different soil types. A detailed knowledge of our soils has been instrumental in vineyard planning and determining which grape variety is best suited to each individual plot.
So Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot are seen to thrive on the plateau planted on a layer of gravel overlying the clay subsoil.
Merlot tends to flourish on the clay-limestone soils opposite the plateau, while Sauvignon Blanc develops lovely freshness, and rare, purity of flavour as a result of the limestone-rich vein running through the estate’s soils. Lastly, Semillon finds its natural balance on the clay gravel plots.
A UNIQUE TERROIR IN AOC PESSAC-LEOGNAN
Sustainably-led at Château La Garde
Certified HVE 3 and Terra Vitis, Château La Garde was one of the first properties to introduce integrated viticulture, an approach that produces premium quality grapes in perfect harmony with the environment and the local community.
Further to highly detailed mapping of the vineyard, individual blocks of vines were identified according to the quality of the soil and subsoil, and cropping levels. This in-depth knowledge means our teams can now tailor and fine-tune viticultural practices in each zone accordingly.
Maintaining the natural balance of the vine is paramount, and the soils are managed with sustainability in mind, including tailored ploughing methods and green fertilizer, while adopting an environmentally-conscious approach to protecting the vineyard – reducing inputs, sexual confusion to combat pests, machine weeding, manual canopy management and manual canopy management and yield control.
Guyot Poussard.
Traditional ploughing, mechanical weeding. Manual budstripping, desuckering, leaf thinning and lateral shoot removal in Cabernet Sauvignon.
Mainly organic and biological control agents, and no CMR pesticides. Pheromone traps, sustainable cover planting, temporary sowing depending on the vigour of the plot.
Grapes of inconsistent ripeness are removed from mid-veraison as required. Harvesting by individual parcel. Optical sorting.
Harvesting by individual parcel
In 2021, works were completed on our new winemaking facilities, which are designed specifically to handle the estate’s unique mosaic of soil types. More than 60 small-capacity conical and inverted conical tanks provide the ultimate in precision. Further to vinification in wooden tanks or barriques for the white wines and in stainless-steel for the reds, the wines are matured in the underground barrel hall for 12 – 14 months.
Harvesting is undertaken with meticulous care and approached on a plot by plot basis. As the grapes are received in the winery, the focus is on keeping the fruit intact. Once in the winery, inert gas, dry ice and chilling are all techniquest used to protect the white grapes from oxidation. In the case of the reds, optical sorting ensures only the best quality grapes are selected.
The team
Pierre Estorge, Estate Manager
Frédéric Bonnaffous, Chief Winemaker
Tours & Events
Total immersion
Immerse yourself in the heart of Château La Garde, a bubble of nature and biodiversity! Discover our collection of guided tours and learn the art of wine tasting. A not-to-be-missed experience: the Mosaic tour with its tasting of 6 cuvées from our unique soil mosaic. You’ll be able to appreciate the goldsmith’s work that goes on the estate.
Information & bookings : hospitality.lagarde@dourthe.com
Would you like to organize a private event or a corporate seminar? Château La Garde is an exceptional venue on the outskirts of Bordeaux. Château La Garde offers a unique setting for your business events, gala dinners, product launches or corporate seminars. A place for reflection and relaxation in a stunning architectural setting, our facilities offer all the services required by business customers and our guests alike.
Information & bookings : hospitality.lagarde@dourthe.com
Our History
2021
A new vatroom
The launch of our new custom-built winery, entirely clad in stone. Built specifically to reveal the truest expression of each micro-parcel, small-capacity tanks of varying sizes are introduced for fine-precision winemaking.
1991
An underground cellar
In addition to renovations to the country house, a vast underground barrel hall is constructed to mature the estate’s red wines.
1990
Dourthe and La Garde
Dourthe acquires Château La Garde in June 1990, unable to resist the exceptional quality of the terroir, which is arguably one of the finest gravel outcrops in the Pessac-Leognan appellation.
1921
The lion-headed leopard
From the 20th century, the emblem of a lion-headed leopard, inspired by the coat of arms attributed to Aquitaine since the Hundred Years’ War, is seen to feature on Clos La Garde wine labels.
1920
The Eschenaueur era
After the First World War, Louis Eschenauer, a well-known negociant, takes an interest in La Garde, which he goes on to buy in 1920, in so doing becoming the leading proponent of wines from the Martillac area, where he also owns Château Smith Haut Lafitte.
1881
The original cellar
The former agricultural building adjoining the country house is extended and updated and bears the ‘L’ of the Lacoste family.
1877
Lacoste family
Château La Garde is purchased by the Lacostes, a family of negociants in Bordeaux and owners of Grand Puy Lacoste in Pauillac. The Lagarde vineyard, which was reduced dramatically by the phylloxera crisis, is once again developed on this magnificent terroir. The wine would be sold under the name Clos la Garde.
1756
The “Lagarde” farm
‘Lagarde’ already features on the first general map of the kingdom of France drawn up by the Cassini family in 1756. At the time, the picturesque ‘Chartreuse’, or countryhouse, built in 1732, is surrounded by valleys and woodland, while vines are already planted on the plateau. At the time, the ‘Bourdieu de Lagarde’ (Lagarde farm) is under the ownership of the Blanchard family.
Gallery
