Château-Loudenne Medoc 2020

Built in the 17th century, Château Loudenne is one of the oldest Crus Bourgeois properties in all of Bordeaux. Its history is inextricably linked with the British wine trade. Château Loudenne changed hands several times until 1875, when it was sold to the British Gilbey brothers. The Gilbeys were influential wine and spirit merchants in London and producers of the gin of the same name. The wines of Loudenne prospered in the British trade and even survived two world wars.

In 2022, French businessman Christophe Gouache acquired the storied estate. With a renewed focus on sustainability in the vineyard and plans to elevate the property's hospitality program, a new chapter has begun at Château Loudenne, an estate we visited early in our wine careers, and fell in love with their wines, the view and the castle of Loudenne.

Geographically the Château is located on the last major gravel bank of the Haut Médoc with slopes that the lead down to the river's edge. The close proximity to the river played out in the Château’s history as it was a major port for which all of the famous Bordeaux were shipped from before heading out to the Atlantic Ocean. Château Loudenne, with its 154 acres of planted vineyards, prides itself on the quality of the terroir which slowly descend to the river's edge with excellent soils comprised of gravel, clay and limestone. While this area is known to have 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.

Loudenne also benefits from ocean breezes that create a favorable microclimate for the maturation of the grape: the flavor is concentrated through evaporation and mild humidity. Most of the red grape vines are between 30 and 40 years old. With all of these elements in place, Château Loudenne will continue to produce distinctive and elegant wines made from their estate vineyards that surround this historic "Suffolk pink" château. 

Varietals: 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc

Wine Alcohol: 13%

pH: 3.6

Harvest Start Date: September 17, 2020

Harvest End Date: October 2, 2020

Average Vine Age: 35 years

New Oak: 50% new oak

Aging: 85% of the wine is aged 12 to 16 months in French oak barrels