Wine Industry Report

After new Chinese owners in the Entre Deux Mers, a family from the north has set up in Moulis in the Médoc.

Philippe Cuvelier (formerly of Papeteries Guilbert) has crossed to the other side of the Garonne river to begin a new venture in the famous Médoc vineyard, purchasing one of the flagship estates of the appellation, Château Poujeaux.

Having first arrived in 2001 when they attracted attention by acquiring the prestigious Saint Emilion 1st Great Classified Growth, Clos Fourtet, from the Lurton family, Philippe Cuvelier and his family have now also set up on the opposite bank by buying Château Poujeaux from the Theil family.

The vines of Château Poujeaux were split into three during the 1880s, but were brought back together by the Theil family in the middle of the 1950s. The size of the vineyard grew to around 100 hectares (247 acres), composed of four grape varieties (50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot) on soils solely made up of gravel.

Philippe Cuvelier will be supported by a team which includes Christophe Labenne, his son Mathieu, as well as Nicolas Thienpont and Stéphane Derenoncourt.