Clos La Madeleine
It was always obvious to the eye that this domaine, sadly now disappeared, had a long history; one merely had to walk across the hillside of La Madeleine, through the vineyards of Château Ausone, Château Bélair-Monange and of course their neighbour Clos La Madeleine to see that these lands have been cultivated for centuries. Vineyards are cut into the limestone of the hill, their boundaries defined by ancient walls, and behind them age-old cellars are carved from the bedrock.
So it should come as no surprise to learn that the origin of Clos La Madeleine lies several centuries in the past.
In this profile I explore the origins of the estate and its history, right into the modern era when it was acquired by the Moueix family. Before we get to that point, however, we must look back in time to the estate’s beginnings. We look first to the first mention of the estate during the 18th century.
Origins
The earliest known proprietors were the Chatonnet family, who have been tending vines in this corner of Bordeaux for at least five hundred years. Despite this, the earliest mention of Clos La Madeleine dates only to the middle of the 18th century, as evidenced by documents held by the courtier Beylot who purchased wine here in 1770.
