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Château Pipeau
Appellation Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

Numbers

Surface: 25 Ha of vines

Geology: Clay-limestone hillside and deep sand

Grape varieties: 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, average age of the vineyard 40 years

Ageing : 80% in French oak barrels for 12 months, 100% new, racking every 3 months

Owner: Mestreguilhem family

It all began in 1927, when Georges Mestreguilhem bought the house in Saint-Laurent des Combes and the 7 hectares of vineyards adjoining it. He was inspired by the name of one of the plots in the commune of Saint-Hippolyte, named “Pipeau”, to name his new acquisition Château Pipeau. The family story began when Pierre Mestreguilhem, son of Georges, took over the business.

The labels were designed in 1962 by a wartime friend of Georges and have changed very little. The charcoal drawing of Château Pipeau has now become a very distinctive visual for this Saint-Emilion Grand Cru and the oak tree is still present in the courtyard of the château.

In 1977, the grandchildren, Richard and his sister Dominique, succeeded their father Pierre and took over the running of the estate. With an engraved bottle from the 2000 vintage onwards, Château Pipeau is now a Saint-Emilion Grand Cru with a strong presence on the tables of Bordeaux and in France, and together they have developed a solid network of direct sales to individuals.

Château Joinin, a 25-hectare vineyard in Jugazan, Entre-Deux-Mers, joined the family business in 1989 when Brigitte, Richard’s wife, inherited part of the family estate and decided to create the Château Joinin brand. Richard’s sister Dominique bought Château Pindefleurs, a magnificent 15-hectare property in Saint-Emilion.

In 2014, Jean Mestreguilhem, son of Richard and Brigitte, decided to join the family adventure after graduating as an agricultural engineer and having worked in Napa Valley in California and Stellenbosch in South Africa.

Great-grandson of Georges, he represents the fourth generation at the Château and is keen to preserve the family heritage.

Environmental approach: Sustainable agriculture. Jean ensures that the château is environmentally friendly with EMS (Environmental Management System for Bordeaux wines) certification and with concrete actions to preserve the biodiversity of the soil.

Website: www.chateaupipeau.com