Château Haut-Brion: Arnaud III de Pontac
Arnaud III de Pontac is a hugely influential figure in the history of Château Haut-Brion, particularly in the way in which he set about marketing his wine in foreign markets. His first act, however, seems to have been to expand the château so that it was more in keeping with his standing, and within a few years of his taking the reins the residence had doubled in size. Then he began to look to sell his wine, preferably to Europe’s wealthiest nobility, and naturally at the best price.
An obvious market for his wine was England, but following the English Civil War, which ended with the Battle of Worcester in 1651, this market naturally atrophied. Charles I (1600 – 1649) had already been executed in 1649, and after the battle Charles II (1630 – 1685) went into exile in Europe, principally the Netherlands. England was ruled by the Protectorate, led by Oliver Cromwell (1599 – 1658), and they were not about to spend their time swilling the wines of the nobility. But after the death of Cromwell in 1658 a power vacuum existed, and parliament invited Charles II to return to the English throne. This he did in 1660, and viewing all these events from afar Arnaud III (pictured in the portrait, below) was quick to realise that here was his chance to once again place his wine on the royal table. And he succeeded, as a purchase of the wine for King Charles II was recorded that year. It should be noted that until the 2014 Haut-Brion Historical Challenge, which produced the two references dating to the 1520s, this was the first ever written mention of the wine.
