“Joining the UGCB means working as a team to promote the Grands Crus de Bordeaux.”

Hello Félix. Château Pédesclaux in Pauillac and Lafon-Rochet in Saint-Estèphe have recently joined the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux. Could you tell us about them? With pleasure. First of all, these two estates have very different characteristics. Château Pédesclaux, which my family purchased in 2009, was regarded, to some extent, as the “sleeping beauty” of Pauillac. When we arrived, we had to rebuild almost everything from scratch. Firstly, we undertook extensive work in the vineyard to restructure our plots and began transitioning to organic viticulture. We have also implemented various initiatives to raise the quality of our wines, with the help of our consultant oenologist, Eric Boissenot. As for the wine cellar, we commissioned the architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Back in 2014, we installed a new 100% gravity-fed cellar, along with 58 stainless-steel vats, to carry out high-precision plot-by-plot fermentation. The aim was to offer a modern take on a great Pauillac wine. We have worked hard to make our wines easier to drink, equally delicious and more fruit-driven, while retaining their excellent ageing potential and distinctive Pauillac character. We have also chosen to keep our prices down to appeal to a younger audience.

What about Lafon-Rochet? Château Lafon-Rochet is a different story. We purchased it in 2021. The estate had long been run by the Tesseron family, who played an active role in building its reputation and with whom we have always enjoyed an excellent relationship. Lafon-Rochet already had solid foundations, with a distinctive style that was widely appreciated. Our challenge, therefore, was to move forward while remaining true to its core identity, so as not to rattle existing fans. As early as the 2022 vintage, we initiated a shift towards easy-to-drink wines. This trend has been confirmed in subsequent vintages. For instance, we have limited the extraction process to favour the expression of the fruit and terroir rather than the oak. This is quite a radical change for Lafon-Rochet and, for a wine from Saint-Estèphe in general, an appellation known for producing powerful, full-bodied wines. Our aim is to produce delicious and elegant wines, which retain their good ageing potential yet are equally enjoyable in their youth. 

Why did you decide to join the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux? Was it important to you? Absolutely, we felt that joining the UGCB was important. The Bordeaux wine industry is going through a period of transition, which is challenging how we promote and market our wines. Now more than ever, we feel the need to reach out to our consumers and clients. In this context, it was important for us to join the UGCB and to contribute, in our own way, to raising the profile of Bordeaux wines by working together as a team. We are quite keen on the concept of the UGCB, which involves going abroad to meet clients and importers. It is crucial for us to travel far and wide to help people discover and taste our wines!

In this respect, do you think wine tourism also has an important role to play? In our view, this is an essential part of our estates’ activities. We aim to welcome as many visitors as possible and have developed a range of tour options to suit all tastes. We even offer tours dedicated to children! We have also launched a catering service in Pédesclaux and Lafon-Rochet, giving guests the chance to enjoy lunch in the dining rooms of the châteaux. We went one step further at Lafon-Rochet by launching Les Sarments meals in the Château’s kitchen. This laid-back dining experience, in the spirit of the “Chef’s Table”, is the opportunity for visitors to discover fresh local produce – such as rib of beef or spit-roasted chicken – cooked over vine cuttings (called “sarments” in French), complete with wine pairings featuring some very exciting vintages.

What is your family’s vision for the future of these estates? By appointing me as President of winemaking activities, Jacky Lorenzetti sought to reaffirm the family estate’s deep roots in the Bordeaux region. Our aim is to produce high-quality wines which are recognised and appreciated by as many people as possible. Our long-term vision is for Pédesclaux to fully embrace its role as the “modern Pauillac” and to attract a younger generation of wine enthusiasts. We hope that our estate will serve as a gateway to Pauillac wines, demonstrating that Grands Crus Classés can be affordable and easy to drink. We want to show that it’s not hard to treat yourself to a nice bottle of wine that offers exceptional value for money. At Lafon-Rochet, the aim is to steer this historic Saint-Estèphe wine into a new era by modernising its style and broadening its appeal, while remaining true to its history and roots.