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History
Records indicate wine was produced here as far back as 1608, and it was during the 17th Century that the true origins of the estate lie.In 1697 Louise Escousses sold the estate to Simon Malescot Esquire, King’s Counsel to Louis XIV at the Parliament of Bordeaux. It was enlarged by the addition of a Chartreuse-style house and agricultural buildings constructed by Malescot and his descendants. Under the Malescot family this was very much a working estate, and they enjoyed control over it, without disruption, through the Revolution. About this time, however, there began a gradual division of what must have been an impressive estate, beginning with a split between three Malescot descendents, the L'Abbé Malescot, his sister and his sister-in-law. The estate was broken up further during the ensuing years.
In 1813 half the estate came to François Benoit Dunogues, who then sold it to Louis Pierlot in 1825. Upon his death, his family had to sell the property, and it was on the 5th of February 1827 that Count Jean-Boptiste Saint-Exupery, who already owned the Loyac estate, also located in Margaux, bought Chateau Malescot. None other than the great-grandfather of aviator and writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery, he decided to give luster to the chateau by adding his name to it. The estate was soon renamed Chateau Malescot St-Exupéry, and was expanded by the inclusion of vineyards from Chateau Loyac and Chateau La Colonie. In 1830 Jean-Baptiste died, an extravagant lifestyle forced his widow to put the property up for auction in 1853. At about this time it was ranked as a third growth in the 1855 classification, and this is clearly declared in the sale documents. This document also mentions the location of the plots, 80%of which correspond to the vineyard of 1697.The new owner was a banker from Bordeaux named Fourcade, who was buying up land in the area, including the long-forgotten Dubignon, one of the smallest crus in the 1855 classification, now no longer in existence as the vineyards were subsequently absorbed into the Malescot estate. Just as the veuve St-Exupéry's creditors were about to place the estate up for auction, Fourcade bought it all and paid off all the outstanding debts, and over the ensuing decades set about revitalizing Malescot St-Exupéry. The vineyards saw a huge expansion and replanting and the outbuildings were repaired, and he refurbished and equipped the cellars, including the installation of a gravity-feed system for transporting grapes, and their clear intention to remain true to the motto on our bottles, “Semper ad altum”(Ever Higher), Sadly Fourcade did not enjoy the fruits of his labours for too long, as he died in 1866, the property passing to a consortium of owners, the most notable of which was probably Monsieur Boissac, who in 1885 was responsible for the construction of the chateau that still stands today. There was further expansion and investment, but despite this the property once again came up for sale, this time in 1901. This was a period of uncertainty for Bordeaux, with the crises of phylloxera and oidium recently passed, and with economic depression and conflict yet to come; no doubt these events influenced their decision to sell. The estate passed to a German Herr Lerbs from Bremen, then to the German firm Seigneitz, and thus it was confiscated by the French during the Great War. It then passed to a Frenchman named Fouquet, and by the time the next war arrived it was under the control of an English administrator, WH Chaplin, who subsequently also purchased Marquis D’Alesme Becker. Following World War II the English owners left the estate to gradually decline. In 1937, the estate appointed Mr. Edmond Ritz as its administrator, a mining engineer whose new career seemed to be the antithesis of the one he had trained for. And it was not until the aforementioned Zuger family entered the scene that the fortunes of Malescot St-Exupéry were to turn.Today, Jean-Luc Zuger, the family’s representative, does everything he can to make Malescot Saint-Exupery one of the great wines of the Margaux appellation area.
Nowaday’s Owner: Jean-Luc Zuger
Technique Information
Location: Château Malescot-Saint-Exupéry's vineyards lie on five separate parcels situated in the two main gravelly zones of Margaux; two of these parcels are directly adjacent to Château Margaux on its north and west sides.
Appellation: Appellation Margaux Controlee
Neighboring Chateau:
Acreage: 23.5 hectares (16acres)
Soil: A layer of gravel two to ten meters thick, gently sloping down towards the Gironde river estuary lies on chalky or marly clay bedrock formed in the Tertiary period. Fragments of iron pan or “alios” can also be found in places.
Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon 50%, Merlot 35%, Cabernet Franc 10%, Petit Verdot 5%.
Average age of vines: 35 years, including some over 50
Cultivation Density: 10000 vines/ha
Viticulture: Harvest by hand
Winemaking: Alcoholic fermentation is carried out in temperature-controlled vats, without the use of extra yeast or other additives. Aging in barrels for 14 to 16 months, 80% are new every vintage.
Yield: 50-60 hl/ha
Brand:
Chateau Malescot Saint-Exupéry(First Label)(A.O.C. Margaux)
La Dame de Malescot(Second Label)(A.O.C. Margaux)
Annually production: Chateau Malescot Saint-Exupéry (First Label): 13,500 cases
La Dame de Malescot (Second Label): 3,500 cases
Character:
Chateau Malescot Saint-Exupéry (First Label): The wines known for their seductive bouquet of raspberries and violets, with a silky quality and is dense, well structured and expressive. The flavours are of spice and blackcurrant with a good presence of acidity.
Best Vintages: Chateau Malescot Saint-Exupéry(First Label): 2000, 2005
Awards: 3rd Grand Cru Classe in 1855 Margaux.
Website: www.malescot.com
Serving Suggestion
Cellar Humidity and Temperature: 75-85%, 15 ℃
Serving Temperature: 18 °C
Optimum Drinking and Ageing Potential:
Food match:
Chateau Malescot Saint-Exupéry(First Label):
Western Food: Beef, poultry, cheese, pasta with cream sauce, hearty stew, pizza, pork, veal, game.
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