Chateau
Tour Saint-Fort

Appellation : Saint-Estephe

Located in Laujac, South-East of the village of Saint-Estèphe, the vineyards of Château Tour Saint-Fort belonged to the Lord of Pez and the Calon family in the 18th century.
At the turn of the 19th century, it was known as ‘Maison Cazaux’. Its wines were mainly sold in England and Holland at prices roughly on a par with those of the Fifth Growths. In 1852, it was recognised as a ‘Cru Bourgeois’, but subsequently the vineyards went into gradual decline due to the crises that struck Bordeaux at the end of the 19th century.
At the turn of the 20th century, Mr Pineau gave it its first new lease of life under the name ‘Château Pineau’. He won first prize at the Liège World’s Fair in 1905. In 1908, the chateau was once again featured in the authoritative Féret wine guide, and in 1932, its status as a Cru Bourgeois was confirmed, under the name ‘Cru La Tour Pineau’. At the time, its vineyards covered six hectares of Cabernet-Sauvignon and one hectare of Cabernet gris, Merlot and Malbec.

Most of the buildings of Cru La Tour du Château Pineau were destroyed in the mid-20th century. Only the former winery and a wall of the large agricultural building were left standing.
In 1992, alongside replanting of the vineyards, major renovation work was undertaken, extending the farm and introducing technical facilities. The vineyards at the time comprised the former Cru La Tour du Château Pineau and part of Château Saint-Estèphe.
In 2016, Château Tour Saint-Fort was taken over and substantial investments were lavished on the property. Modernisation of the winemaking facilities provided it with a new vat house and completely redesigned ageing cellar. The changes will allow the estate to perpetuate its history and regain its place alongside its peers.

Chateau Tour Saint-Fort

Appellation : Saint-Estephe

The owner’s pitch.

Cru Bourgeois since 1852, an ambitious renovation program was launched following the change of ownership in 2016.
After two years of work, Château Tour Saint-Fort has a “new look”.
The wish is to give a new dimension to this property by bringing it back to life and allowing it to regain its rank among the Crus de Saint-Estèphe.
Everything is done in the vineyard to produce quality raisins while respecting the environment.

Since 2016, every effort has been made in the vineyard to produce quality fruit whilst showing respect for the environment.
The varietal range currently comprises 31% of Cabernet-Sauvignon, 59% of Merlot noir, 7% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. On average, the vines are over 50 years old for the Château Tour Saint-Fort and over 20 years old for the Baron d’Estours du Château Saint-Fort, the second wine.

Focus on the Chateau.

Surface area

14 hectares

Wine types

Red and rosé

Ageing

100% in French oak barrels (30% new wood) for a period of 12 to 14 months

Grape varieties

59% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc

Environmental protection

HEV3

Open for tours

Yes, by appointment

Wines.

Winemaking techniques remain traditional and geared to the desired style of wine.
Winemaking starts after pre-fermentation cold soaking and uses a system which automatically controls the temperature (hot and cold) in stainless steel tanks.
Because every vintage is different, we are constantly adjusting our technical choices. Extraction is one of the most important stages in crafting a wine. Depending on the ripeness of the fruit, we use rack-and-return or pumping over, adjusting their frequency and the number of times they are used.

Post-fermentation maceration can last for 3 to 4 weeks on average, depending on the structure of the wines.
The vintage is structured through barrel ageing for at least 12 months, and management of oakiness is proportionate to the quality of the end wines.
As a general rule, the percentage of new oak is no higher than 40% for the Château Tour Saint-Fort.

How to contact the Chateau.

Address

Lieu-Dit Laujac
1 route de Lavillotte
33180 SAINT-ESTEPHE

Phone

+33 (0) 5 56 59 38 19

E-mail

contact@chateautoursaintfort.com

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