Asian investor Peter Kwok buys another Bordeaux château

Peter Kwok, the Hong Kong businessman regarded as one of the first Asian investors in Bordeaux vineyards, has bought his seventh estate in the region.

Peter Kwok, the Vietnam-born, Hong Kong businessman who bought St Emilion’s Château Haut-Brisson in 1997, has purchased Château le Rey in Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux along with two business partners.

The 12 hectare estate was previously owned by the le Roy family since 2006.

Kwok’s business partners in the purchase are Jean-Christophe Meyrou, who has worked for two years as director for Kwok’s French holding company Vignobles K, and Belgian importer Philippe Lambrecht.

The deal comes less than a month after Alibaba founder and billionaire Jack Ma announced he had bought Château de Sours in Bordeaux.

Château Le Rey dates back to at least the 1300s and is located on the limestone plateau of Sainte-Colombe. It is in the process of conversion to organic farming.

Kwok now controls 40ha in St-Emilion, 3.5ha in Pomerol, 2.5ha in Lalande de Pomerol and 12ha in Castillon.

Michel Rolland is consultant to all Kwok’s estates, and Jerome Aguirre, who previously worked at Châteaux La Violette, Le Gay and Reignac, is technical director and winemaker.

Denise Van der Meer, of Vignobles K, confirmed to Decanter.com that the wines will be made entirely by Vignobles K team. ‘The three men have known each for many years, and it was friendship that led them to invest in this opportunity together. The potential of the Castillon terroir is huge.’

Lambrecht is also the owner of Bodega Mas Alta in Priorat.

In November 2015, Kwok bought Château Tourans in St-Emilion.