Château Beaumont

The origins of Château Beaumont are relatively recent compared to some other properties on the Médoc. We only have to look back to the middle of the 18th century to find here a mix of fallow arable farmland, pasture and moorland, with not a vine to be seen. At this time the property was in the possession of Emmanuel-Félicité de Durfort (1715 – 1789), Duc de Duras, a French politician, diplomat and Maréchal de France. He presumably sold the land, as in 1772 it came into the hands of Henri Labarthe, who set about clearing and draining the land in preparation for the planting of vines. It was either he, or more likely the next proprietor named Bonnin, who actually planted the vines in 1824; whichever of the two protagonists was responsible, it was by their hand that the vineyard of the future Château Beaumont came into being.

The Bonnin Brothers

The property next came into the possession of Étienne Jean François d’Aligre (1770 – 1847), Marquis d’Aligre, a wealthy politician. He held onto it until his death in 1847, at which point it was acquired by the Bonnin brothers. These were clearly well-to-do siblings, as they were responsible for the construction of the château in 1854. This is a deceptive building, at first glance apparently low-key but it is in fact expansive, with elements reminiscent of the Mansard Renaissance style, flanked by rather exotic octagonal turrets and with an octagonal tower looking out over the courtyard, roofs and vines. Its construction surely suggests the Bonnin brothers were committed to the property, but curiously little more than a decade had passed before the estate changed hands once more.

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