Labégorce Zédé disappears

Chateau Labégorce Zédé, Cru Bourgeois from Margaux, will disappear from the 2009 vintage.

It will instead become part of Chateau Labégorce, creating one 55ha estate. This has been the intention since the late Hubert Perrodo – founder of the Perenco oil group – bought first Labégorce in 1989, then its neighbours Chateau de l’Abbé Gorsse de Gosse in 2002, and Labégorce Zédé in 2005.

The three had been combined before the French Revolution, and split into separate properties in the ensuing centuries.

Perrodo also bought underperforming third growth Chateau Marquis d’Alesme Becker, a few months before he died in a skiing accident in 2006.

After his death, the plans were put on hold, but his 27-year-old daughter Nathalie has now taken over the property, splitting her time between Bordeaux and London. She is carrying out her father’s wishes.

‘We have talked about this for years,’ technical director Philippe de la Laguarigue, who worked previously at Chateau Montrose, told decanter.com, ‘but nothing has happened. Now we are moving forward with the original plan.’

There will now be just one estate: Chateau Labégorce, with its second wine Zédé de Labégorce.

Chateau Marquis d’Alesme will drop the ‘Becker’ from its name, but continue to exist separately.

‘It will also remain at 15ha,’ said Laguarigue, ‘but some of the better plots from the other estates will be used in Marquis.’

Construction of a new winery for the reworked estates is due to begin in June 2010.

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Written by Jane Anson in Bordeaux