The deal includes 390ha of land in the Haut-Médoc appellation, of which 80ha is currently planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot, along with the winery.
It will allow TWE’s flagship brand, Penfolds, to increase its focus on creating blends featuring grapes from Bordeaux and Barossa.
Earlier this year, chief winemaker Peter Gago unveiled Penfolds II, a Cabernet-Shiraz-Merlot blend created in partnership with Dourthe Bordeaux.
The wine featured 71% grapes grown in Bordeaux and 29% grapes grown in South Australia, made from the 2019 vintage and bottled in Australia.
‘This is the start of our French winemaking journey,’ said Gago at the time. ‘Our main objective? To remain true to the winemaking ethos of both wineries, to deliver the best blend possible, to ideally make Bordeaux and South Australia proud.’
Additional projects include FWT 585, made at Bordeaux’s Cambon de la Pelouse, an ongoing collaboration with Champagne Thiénot and a wine from California’s Napa Valley.
This project will now gain momentum following parent company TWE’s purchase of Château Lanessan.
Bordeaux wine merchant Jean Delbos founded the estate in 1793, and nine generations of the Bouteiller family have served as custodians in the ensuing centuries.
TWE plans to continue producing wine under the Château Lanessan, Les Calèches de Lanessan and Château de Sainte Gemme labels – which will be distributed through existing channels – along with making wine for Penfolds’ cross-continent blends.
‘We look forward to collaborating with the Bouteiller family and winemakers to enhance the château’s production capability and reputation for quality wine, while also deepening our relationships with the local Bordeaux community,’ said Penfolds managing director Tom King.
‘The region’s winemaking traditions complement the quality and innovation that Penfolds is known for, and we have ambitious plans to invest in the historic property and welcome wine lovers to experience the region’s unique winemaking traditions.’
The overarching goal is to reinforce TWE’s ‘multi-regional sourcing strategy’ and ‘enhance Penfolds’ position as a global luxury icon’. The company said it would provide more details on the property’s restoration and development next year.
