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Castelneau, has a long history.

Before the Castel-nau, there was the « old castle », probably a feudal mound constructed in the 11th century by Ithier de Baigneaux, 200m north-west of the present castle.

The castle was built in the 14th century. It was a simple quadrilateral shape surrounded by four walls and strengthened at the corners by four towers, linked by a walkway.

It was not until the end of the 16th century that the pleasure castle was built against the west interior wall in the walled enclosure.

Conical turrets covered the corner towers and the main building was covered in arched gates with flat tiles.

The transformation

August 10th 1759, a magnitude 7 earthquake weakens the walls of both facades and greatly damages the main staircase. In 1972, during the Revolution, the castle was burnt. The structure is rebuilt, lowered and covered with tiles. The heirs Gaufreteau then decides to sell.

The house was then be divided. The two owners agree to cover the castle and repair the damage of the earthquake. Seignouret, who the current owners descend from, buys the southern part and acquires the northern part in 1888 Yvart, Rocante de Bussac and Ferchaud. In 1988, Loïc de Roquefeuil and his wife Diane took over this family estate.

The Mesopotamia of Aquitaine

(mésos=mi / potamos=river) : An ideal geographical location

In an ideal geographical location Castelneau looks out over the Entre-deux-Mers, watching over the valleys of the Dordogne and the movement of the tide extending to the borders of the department. This geographical location in the centre of the Gironde, makes it an ideal place to visit for those interested in the history and architecture of the area or as a place to stay while visiting the Bordeaux vineyards.

A RESPECTFUL VINEYARD

vignole

A RESPECTFUL VINEYARD

The expertise of the Castelneau team is based on extensive training in oenology, but also on the knowledge and careful observation of the terroir. Our policy of planting hedges around the Castelneau vines over the last ten years has enabled us to no longer use insecticides. Theses hedges provide a home for the typhlodromus mites, predators of mites and other insects that attack vines. The 4.8 kilometres of hedgerows planted around the vines make Castelneau the first vineyard protecting itself in this way.

THE CELLAR (WINERY AND STORES)

THE WINES

The Castelneau estate extends over about a hundred hectares, surrounded by woodlands boasting oaks, chestnuts, hornbeams and false acacias. Whilst about forty hectares include fields of wheat, maize, sunflowers or are lying fallow, around thirty are dedicated to quality vineyards, twenty-three hectares of red and seven of white.

An exchange of land in return for vines with the neighbouring abbey at la Sauve-Majeure attests to the fact that wine has been produced here since the 12th century. Today the Cellar is divided into three sections : The winery, The conservation cellar and the ageing cellar.

ACTORS

acteurs

Loïc de Roquefeuil

Owner

After law and politics studies at Bordeaux University, Loïc set up a wine distribution company in Paris named Versein et Minvielle. The following year, a new style cellar wine bar, l’Entre Deux Verres, opened its doors shortly after Steven Spurier’s l’Academie du Vin and Marc Williamson’s Willy’s Wine Bar. This cellar wine bar in a Louis XIV Hôtel des Postes is the birthplace of Les Bons Mardis, wine tasting sessions and CPD certified courses in viniculture.

With some of his students, Loïc created a board game on the wines of France in 1978, le Jeu de l’Entre Deux Verres. Sixty thousand sts were sold in three editions.

He has been an examiner for the Sommeliers de France examinations on several occasions and takes part in several professionnal wine tasting sessions.

In 1985 he sells parts of his commercial interest to buy out his cousins’ stakes in the family estate of Castelneau. Clients of the wine bar who had become friends enable him to complete the deal by becoming shareholders. Their dividends take the form of cases of their wine.

Diane de Roquefeuil

Owner

From the Berry region in central France and Paris. After interior design studies, Diane lives in london then New York. Back in Paris she joins Christian Dior perfume in the export design department. Her eclectic tastes and passion for wine lead her to take some Bon Mardis wine tasting courses at the l’Entre Deux Verres. It was there that she discovers the soulmate of her passion for wine and decides with the man who becomes her husband to change her lifestyle and take to the country in the Entre-Deux-Mers.

In order not remain outside of the main activity of the estate and to better face her new destination in life, she takes a course in viticulture and oenology brilliantly sanctionned by a diploma. The young farmer works in the winery and does not hesitate to take the tractor to go to the hairdresser’s when her car break down !

Aside from this, she decides to dedicate some of her time to public relations and organises lunches and dinners to promote Château de Castelneau wines.

She decides to renovate the estate’s built heritage and transforms the farmhouse, a typical « coûcoûte » of the Entre-deux-Mers region, into gîtes for weekly lets and bed and breakfasts.

Born in Cordoba, Spain to a family more familiar with olive oil than wine, he rapidly adjusted to life in the Entre-deux-Mers. He looks after the vines as much as parkland and the buildings. He is the ubiquitous man to whom everyone turns to resolve all those day-to-day problems.

José Gonzalès Capitan

Vineyard Manager