Claire Villars-Lurton…

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Endowed with unwavering determination and tenacity, Claire is a fighter. And it takes a strong character to make a mark in the wine world... Following in the footsteps of her mother Bernadette, Claire imposes her style as a female winegrower in the Bordeaux region.

Born into a family of winegrowers, Claire did not initially intend to manage a wine estate. She lived in Paris and was preparing a doctorate in applied physics to archaeology.

After the accidental death of her parents in 1992, Claire abandoned her studies and joined her grandfather Jacques Merlaut to continue her mother's work. Claire enrolled at the Faculty of Oenology in Bordeaux. She immersed herself in the world of Bordeaux wines while simultaneously managing the various properties of her family. Among others, some properties like Château Chasse-Spleen already had an established reputation, and Claire loves challenges!

When in 2000, the properties of the Merlaut group were distributed among family members, Claire legitimately took the helm of three Châteaux:

• Château Ferrière, Grand Cru Classé of 1855, Margaux,
• Château Haut-Bages Libéral, Grand Cru Classé of 1855, Pauillac,
• Château La Gurgue, Cru bourgeois, Margaux.

At just 32 years old, the owner devoted herself fully to regaining the notoriety and performance of her Châteaux.

She quickly became aware of the exceptional terroirs of her Châteaux and wanted to preserve them.

She thus redesigned the entire production chains by reverting to virtuous viticulture, reintroducing biodiversity while banning the use of chemicals.

“We can't constantly talk about terroir without doing something to protect it” - Claire Villars-Lurton.

Château Ferrière and Château La Gurgue were certified organic in 2015. They obtained their biodynamic certifications in 2018.

Château Haut-Bages Libéral was certified organic in 2019 and is currently in the process of converting to biodynamics.

Thanks to hard work, Claire has managed to restore her Châteaux to their rightful place as Grands Crus Classés of 1855. In line with the great wine figures within the Merlaut family, Claire is undoubtedly up to her family heritage.