Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesThe Chanfreau family's 2016 Lestage is showing very well, unwinding in the glass with notes of dark berries, licorice, sweet soil tones and spices. Dominated by some 70% Merlot growing on clay-limestone soils, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with lively acids and rich, powdery tannins cloaked in a deep core of fruit. Rating: 91+
Château Lestage’s vineyard dates back to Gallo-Roman times but it was only in the 19th century that the present manor, a splendid example of Napoleon III architecture, was built. Classified Cru Bourgeois Supérieur in 1932, this
classification has been confirmed in 2003. The estate is 100 acres on a single block, made of Gravelly Pyrenean soil on a limestone and clayey-limestone base.
The Chanfreau Family settled in Listrac-Médoc in 1962 when Léo purchased Château Fonréaud following his return from Algeria. A few months later, his father, Marcel Chanfreau, who also wished to settle in the Médoc, bought Château Lestage (neighboring Fonréaud) and Château Caroline. Today, Marcel's grandson, Jean Chanfreau, runs the estates with his wife Marie-Hélène and his sister Caroline Chanfreau-Philippon. He bought Clos des Demoiselles in 2002. The family-owned vineyard covers 100+ acres in the commune of Listrac-Médoc and 25 acres in the commune of Moulis en Médoc. The vines grow at the highest point in the Médoc, the Puy de Menjon, at an altitude of 140 feet.