What is the age of the oldest building in Bordeaux wineries?
Hello! That's an excellent question, and one many newcomers to Bordeaux wines are curious about. Actually, the answer is a bit more complex than you might think, because "oldest" can mean different things – it's like asking about the "patriarch" of a family: do you mean the one with the highest seniority, or the one who's lived the longest?
We can look at this from a few angles:
1. If we mean the oldest surviving "architectural remains"
Then it's likely Château de Pressac in the Saint-Émilion appellation.
- Era: 12th Century
The estate preserves ruins of an ancient castle, with stone walls dating back to the 12th century – that's the Southern Song Dynasty in China. Back then, the army of Richard the Lionheart, King of England, was stationed here. While it's not a complete structure today, as the oldest "component" on a wine estate, it's definitely a heavyweight contender.
(An illustration: imagine ancient stone walls)
2. If we mean an estate with documented, continuous winemaking and ancient buildings
Then Château Pape Clément is an unavoidable name.
- Era: Late 13th / Early 14th Century
The name itself tells a story. Its first owner was Pope Clement V (Pape Clément V), who was the Archbishop of Bordeaux before becoming Pope. He acquired this vineyard around 1300 and began making wine here. Although the estate's buildings have been rebuilt and renovated many times over the centuries, its historical lineage and core plots have continued uninterrupted from that era. It can be said to be one of the oldest documented vineyards in the Bordeaux region.
3. If we mean the "château" main building as we see it today
This is interesting. The grand châteaux featured on the labels of many famous top estates, like Lafite or Margaux, were mostly built in the 18th or 19th centuries.
This was Bordeaux's golden age. Owners, having made their fortunes, built imposing mansions to display their status and power. For example, the iconic neoclassical château of the renowned Château Margaux wasn't built until the early 19th century.
So, while many estates have very long "winemaking histories," the "houses" we see today are often relatively "young."
To summarize
You can think of it like this:
- Oldest "bricks": Likely at Château de Pressac, traceable to the 12th century.
- Oldest "name/brand": Château Pape Clément is a contender, with papal ownership dating back to the early 14th century.
- Most classic "mansions": The grand châteaux we see on most labels today were largely built in the 18th-19th centuries.
So, next time you chat with friends about Bordeaux châteaux, you can tell them this story: A Bordeaux estate is like an old manor house – the foundation might be from the Middle Ages, the deeds from the Renaissance, but the main house we see now was probably built in the late 19th century!