Entre-deux-Mers property sold to Chinese industrialist

Philippe Moysson, the current owner, confirmed last week that he had sold the 40ha Bordeaux estate for an undisclosed sum, which the French press has him as saying was 'over the going rate'.

Chateau Bel-Air, in the commune of Blasimon in Entre-deux-Mers – not to be confused with Chateau Belair Monange, the St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé – produces Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur.

The new owner is a steel manufacturer with eight factories in China, as well as a chain of wine and spirits stores  primarily dealing in Bordeaux wine, including Bel-Air, which Moysson has been supplying for the last two or three years.

Zhi Gen Lai joins another Chinese owner in Entre-Deux-Mers, entrepreneur Jin Shan Zhang, who bought the 170ha estate Chateau Grand Moueys earlier this year, announcing plans to open a restaurant, hotel and 9-hole golf course.

Moysson told French newspaper Sudouest that he sold the property because at the age of 65 he had no successor, his two daughters not being interested in taking it on.

Zhi Gen Lai, who is interested in attracting Chinese tourists to the area, bought the existing stock as well as the property, Moysson said, adding that he would hand everything over when he had brought in the 2012 harvest.