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Chateau Labégorce-Zédé

The origins of Labégorce-Zédé and nearby Labégorce are one and the same, and thus this profile opens in a very similar fashion as that for Labégorce. They were born of a large estate which existed in the northern parts of the commune of Margaux perhaps as long ago as the 14th Century, and which belonged to the Gorce (or Gorsse) family. The family were originally merchants, gradually climbing the social ladder in Bordeaux, assuming a more aristocratic standing in the community as they did so. They were still the proprietors here in the 18th Century, and documents from that time indicate that there was viticulture on the estate, the vines coexisting with wheatfields and pasture where a herd of cattle grazed. This was the situation at the time of the French Revolution, when like so many other estates in Bordeaux, Labégorce was divided and sold off, giving rise to three estates that still estate today. The first, that concerns us here, is that of Chateau Labégorce-Zédé, the other two being the aforementioned Labégorce and the curiously named L'Abbé Gorsse de Gorsse, an estate long defunct as far as viticulture is concerned, but which is still clearly visible on the currently available maps of the commune.

The estate that was destined to be the Labégorce-Zédé of today was purchased by Barthélémy Benoist in 1795. It was through this sale that the estate acquired its new name, as the estate passed to Benoist's daughter who married a merchant called Jean-Emile Zédé. The estate then passed to their son Pierre Zédé, who is generally accredited with renaming the estate. Of his three sons, it was the eldest, Emile Zédé, who inherited the domaine and vineyards, buying out other interested family members where appropriate. He passed it to his children, who subsequently sold it to Pierre Hubert Eyrin, the régisseur at the estate, in 1931. The property subsequently changed hands five times before coming into the ownership of Jean Battesti in 1961. Battesti was returning to France after many years living in Algeria, then under French rule, and he was looking for a change of direction. He renovated the chateau and moved in, and invested in the vineyard and cellars too. Things were looking up at Labégorce-Zédé, and when in 1979 Battista sold to Luc Thienpont, a name more readily associated with Vieux Chateau Certan than any Margaux Cru Bourgeois, it seemed as though this upward trend would continue. There was reinvestment and replanting, and under Thienpont's direction the estate increased to 45 hectares all told, of which 36 were planted to vines. Under his aegis, the reputation of the wine also climbed dramatically. It came as some surprise, then, to hear of the sale of the estate in 2005. The new owner was Hubert Perrodo, a petrochemical magnate, whose plan seems to have been to reunite all three of the original Labégorce estates, but following his tragically premature death in a skiing accident in late 2006 this plan now seems less certain. The estate remains, at the moment, in the hands of the Perrodo family.

The vineyards, as already mentioned, account for 27 hectares of the Margaux appellation, with a typically deep, coarse, gravelly terroir. The vines are 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Of these, one third are of a good age, having been planted more than 40 years ago. One third were planted under the direction of Jean Battesti between 1965 and 1973, and the remaining third are young vines, having been established during the tenure of Luc Thienpont. The fruit is harvested by hand, with low yields, then rigorously sorted before arriving in the cellar, which was renovated by Battesti. The must is fermented according to parcel of origin, with temperature control holding the must down to 30 deg C. The wine is macerated for up to three weeks, before going into oak barrels, 50% new each vintage, for up to 18 months. The total output is 15000 cases, which principally includes the grand vin, Chateau Labégorce-Zédé, and a second wine named Domaine Zédé, introduced in 1984, and which accounts for up to half of the production of the estate. There has also been, since 1988, a third wine called Z de Zédé, which is made from a 9 hectare plot entitled to the appellation of Bordeaux Supérieur. (16/5/07)

Contact details:
Address: 33460 Margaux
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 57 88 71 31
Fax +33 (0) 5 57 88 72 54

Chateau Labégorce-Zédé - Tasting Notes

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Chateau Labégorce-Zédé (Margaux) 1989: Lovely colour. A rose-petal and tobacco leaf nose. This wine also has good balance, although there are more prominent tannins. Well-built, fruit laden palate. Low acidity. Finishes well, but short. Great for drinking now, but doesn't have the substance of the other wines. From a Bordeaux 1989 tasting. 17/20 (May 2000)

Chateau Labégorce-Zédé (Margaux) 1982: A cru bourgeois property. A dark, brown/tawny edge to a deep red hue. Good mature fruit on the nose. The palate is full and rich, with a firm, spicy edge. Good strong acidity. A bit tarry. Tannins well integrated. Good finish with some length. Certainly ready now. From a Bordeaux 1982 tasting. 16.5/20 (May 2004)