Chanel Group Buys St.-Emilion's Château Berliquet

Luxury goods empire Chanel Group has added another prominent Bordeaux estate to its portfolio, announcing today that it has purchased Château Berliquet in St.-Emilion. Chanel, which is owned by the Wertheimer family, also owns Châteaus Canon and Rauzan-Ségla in Bordeaux, as well as St. Supéry Estate Vineyards and Winery in Napa Valley. The purchase price was not disclosed.

Château Berliquet, a Grand Cru Classé estate that makes roughly 2,000 cases annually, had been owned by the Lesquen family. Enjoying a prime spot atop the limestone plateau that spreads outward from the town of St.-Emilion itself, the vineyard totals 24 acres of vineyards, with 18 currently in production. The vines average 40 years of age, with roughly 75 percent Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc. The Wertheimers know the terroir—Berliquet is surrounded by Canon's vines. The estate will continue to be managed separately.

Nicolas Audebert, general director of Canon and Rauzan-Ségla, began working with the Lesquen family at the end of this summer, learning the property and helping with the 2017 harvest. The estate had been managed for the Lesquens by Nicolas Thienpont, along with consulting winemaker Stéphane Derenoncourt, both of whom stepped down in July when the transition began. "We really thank them both for what they did," said Audebert.

Château Berliquet has a reputation for producing elegantly styled, mineral-accented wines, a profile that fits well with Audebert's notable style shift at Canon and Rauzan-Ségla since taking over during the 2014 vintage.

"It's a unique terroir," said Audebert. "The [24 acres] are in one single block on the best exposition, west/southwest and 100 percent on the limestone plateau and côte. It's 100 percent in line with our style and the type of terroir we know and love very much.”

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