Château Ferrière, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Margaux, is one of the pioneers of organic and biodynamic winemaking in Bordeaux. Since 2018 Château Ferrière is certified Biodyvin and Demeter.
We started the visit with a tasting in the tasting room and then toured the winemaking facilities. We visited Château Ferrière in the middle of the harvest of the 2022 vintage.
Château Ferrière
Château Ferrière, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Margaux is also connected to the Lurton family, but not owned by a member of the Lurton family.
The estate was founded by Gabriel Ferrière in the mid 18 th century. He was an aristocrat in charge of the king's hunting outings during the 18th century. In 1777, he sold it to his cousins. One of them, Jean Ferrière, will become mayor of the city of Bordeaux after Robespierre's fall, in 1795.
During the 1855 classification of the Medoc growth Château Ferrière was classified as third growth. The estate remained in the hands of the Ferrière family until 1914, when it was sold to Armand Feuillerat, then owner of another Margaux classified growth, Château Marquis de Terme.
In 1952, the illustrious Alexis Lichine leased the vineyards of Château Ferrière. He was also owner of parts of Château Prieure Lichine and Lascombes, a second growth in Margaux. The wines of Château Ferrière were then vinified at Château Lascombes. For 40 years, only a small quantity of bottles of Château Ferrière was produced and the wine somehow became a second label for Château Lascombes.
In 1988 the Merlaut family, négociants in Bordeaux, purchased the vineyards and the buildings, but it is only in 1992 that the agricultural lease came to an end. The family then took over the management of the vineyards as well as the vinification.
Owner today is Claire Villars, granddaughter of Jacques Merlaut, who married Gonzague Lurton, Henry Lurton’s older brother. The 50 acres of vineyards are characterized by Garonne gravel laying over a deeper chalk and marl. The vineyards are planted with 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc.
In 2012 Claire Villars began the conversion to organic winemaking, in 2015 they were certified organic, she consequently pushed further and undertook the journey to biodynamic winemaking. Since 2018 Château Ferrière is certified Biodyvin and Demeter.
Her husband Gonzague Lurton also converted his property, Château Durfort-Vivens in Margaux, to organic and biodynamic winemaking and together they now own the largest area of certified biodynamic vineyards among the Grands Crus Classés of 1855.
Arriving
Tasting in the Tasting Room
Cellar Tour
2022 Harvest
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