Over an hour’s drive east from the center of Bordeaux (without traffic), this quiet, remote property is near, well...not a lot. But don’t let the far-flung location fool you; there are a lot of recent, worthy changes and renewed drive happening at this estate, with a subsequent uptick in quality in recent vintages. (And at a very affordable price!)

We arrived at Château Marsau on one of the hottest June days in Bordeaux’s recorded history. Owners Anne-Laurence and Mathieu Chadronnier met us outside their family’s country cottage on the property, which is a far cry from your typical Médoc castle or Saint-Émilion mansion. Next to their small stone house is a barn converted into a small winery. Despite the heat, the home (the Chadronnier’s weekend getaway), the little winery, and the vineyard were all thriving with renewed energy.

“In 2017, we decided to purchase the estate off Mathieu’s father,” Anne-Laurence, the winemaker for the estate, explained.

Mathieu is the son of Jean-Marie Chadronnier, who is the former CEO of one of Bordeaux’s largest negociants, CVBG. These days, Mathieu follows in his father’s footsteps as the managing director of CVBG. His wife Anne-Laurence has been making the wine at Château Marsau for his father since 2012, until they decided to buy it at the end of 2017.

But most of the changes made since Anne-Laurence and Matthieu purchased the property have been in the vineyard. Château Marsau’s vineyard is just over 13 hectares, planted to 100% Merlot, primarily on clay soils. Before we hiked through the vineyard, Mathieu unfolded a property map on a shady picnic table, showing the ten blocks and the planting dates of the various sections, ranging from 1978 to 2013. The map also highlights the vineyard’s biodiversity, featuring drawings of diverse local flora and fauna that are celebrated and embraced rather than tolerated and overcome.

“We knew we needed to go organic,” said Anne-Laurence as we walked through the vines, vibrant green and lush even at a temperature of 105 degrees Fahrenheit. “We began the conversion process in 2018. This was a very difficult year to go organic because the mildew was everywhere. Our yields in 2018 were just ten hectoliters per hectare. But we didn’t question organic methods. We began to question our other methods, such as tilling, and how this impacts the balance of the vine. In 2019, we stopped tilling the soil between the vines to allow nature to return to the vineyard.”

No-tilling is rare in Bordeaux but is increasingly practiced in vineyards around the world to help keep soils “alive” and maintain the topsoil’s natural, beneficial microbial populations.

As we embarked on the tasting in the air-conditioned (thankfully!) winery, Anne-Laurence explained the gradual evolution of the winemaking. “With these warmer vintages, we can ripen our tannins more consistently. The tannins were a big surprise in 2015. We were not used to having this texture of tannins. They were so ripe that year. From the 2016 vintage, we started leaving 30% to age in tank, and we continued to keep a small percentage in tanks from this year on to maintain brightness. We have started sorting by density, and this has really helped with years when we have uneven ripening.”

"We knew we needed to go organic."

These wines are skillfully crafted and downright delicious

The evolution in quality and expression of Château Marsau from 2014 to 2020 is impressive. These wines are skillfully crafted and downright delicious, going that extra length towards expressing this special place’s signature. From 2021, the vineyard is certified organic. Currently retailing in the USA for around $25-30, fans of beautifully expressed Merlot will want to snap up bottles of the 2019 and 2020 vintages, in particular, by the caseload!