Winemaker Notes
The history of Chateau Loudenne is inextricably linked with the British wine trade. Built in the 17th century, Loudenne had many owners until 1875 when it was sold to two English brothers, Walter and Alfred Gilbey. The Gilbeys were already well known wine and spirit merchants in London and producers of the gin of the same name. The wines of Loudenne prospered in the British trade, surviving two world wars and the estate underwent a renovation programme in the 1960s and 70s. Under the energetic and experienced management of Martin Bamford MW, Chateau Loudenne remained part of Gilbey’s despite successive take-overs. Finally owned by Diageo, the Chateau was eventually sold in 2000 after more than a century of English ownership. In March of 2000, the Chateau was bought by the Lafragette family who had established their reputation in the Cognac industry. In 2013, the estate was purchased by the Moutai group from the Guizhou province, southern China, which traditionally specialises in brandies but also has wines in its portfolio.
Chateau Loudenne, with its 154 acres of planted vineyards, prides itself on the quality of their terroir which slowly descends to the river’s edge with excellent soils comprised of gravel, clay and limestone. While this area is known to be a cooler climate than the rest of the Médoc, the river tends to act as a mirror and reflects the warm sun onto the vineyards.
With all of these elements in place, Chateau Loudenne will continue to produce distinctive and elegant wines made from their estate vineyards that surround this historic ‘Suffolk pink” chateau, complemented by the blooms of the rose garden.
One of the most—if not the most—famous red wine regions of the world, the Medoc reaches from the city of Bordeaux northwest along the left bank of the Gironde River almost all the way to the Atlantic. Its vineyards climb along a band of flatlands, sandwiched between the coastal river marshes and the pine forests in the west. The entire region can only claim to be three to eight miles wide (at its widest), but it is about 50 miles long.
While the Medoc encompasses the Haut Medoc, and thus most of the classed-growth villages (Margaux, Moulis, Listrac, St-Julien, Pauillac and St. Estephe) it is really only those wines produced in the Bas-Medoc that use the Medoc appellation name. The ones farther down the river, and on marginally higher ground, are eligible to claim the Haut Medoc appellation, or their village or cru status.
While the region can’t boast a particularly dramatic landscape, impressive chateaux disperse themselves among the magically well-drained gravel soils that define the area. This optimal soil draining capacity is completely necessary and ideal in the Medoc's damp, maritime climate. These gravels also serve well to store heat in cooler years.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.