Jacques Thienpont (of Le Pin and l'If fame) bought the beautifully positioned Château Goubau in 2015 with his sister, Anne de Raeymaker. The property is 100m up on the eastern edge of the Saint Philippe d’Aiguilhe plateau, the highest point in the Bordeaux region, and commands a stunning view. It had previously been named Château Goubau after another Belgian family who had owned it for ten years and it was they who had converted it to organic viticulture. In 2017 the Thienponts added another 10 hectares of vines from the neighbouring Château Montagne. From the 2016 vintage these wines are labelled L'Hêtre (the Hazel) and Raison d'Hêtre (oh come on, it's irresistible) - which continues Jacques' theme of naming properties after different trees.
The estate is managed by their nephew Maxime, who grew up at Château Labégorce-Zédé in Margaux.
The second wine of L’Hêtre, a new wine in the distinctly up-and-coming AP of Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux. Owned by the Thienpont family, organically farmed and situated high on the limestone plateau to the ea...(read more)
Decanter Magazine