Château
du Retout’s past
The Phylloxera crisis at the end of the 19th century destroyed most of the French vineyards. Shortly after, the First World War, as well as the splitting up of properties due to inheritance laws, often led to the abandonment of winegrowing in general and even to the disappearance of some of the smaller wine estates.
This was the case with Château Retou-Rosset in Lamarque and Château Salva de Camino in Cussac Fort Médoc, both of which were classified “crus bourgeois”, as well as another estate, the “petit cru” Château Moulina. It was only in the 1950s, after their acquisition by the Kopp family, that these estates were brought back to life.
Today, the estate is still cultivated by the Kopp family. Hélène Kopp (2nd generation) and Frédéric Soual (son-in-law) are running the Château du Retout with care and precision, showing the potential of the place and the terroir, resulting in the production of fresh and balanced wines. Their daughter, Loïse Soual Kopp, has today joined them on the estate.
The
Vineyards
The Château du Retout is composed of 33 hectares cultivated in the Haut-Médoc appellation, planted with 68% of Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% of Merlot and 7% of Petit Verdot. To complete the red terroir, 1.5 hectares are producing white wines with Sauvignon Gris, Savagnin and Gros Manseng.
The
Red Wines
The 33-hectare vineyard — 31 of which are located on the same plot — is largely situated on a gravelly ridge ("croupe"). These gravelly ridges form the great historic wine-growing terroirs of Bordeaux's left bank.
At the centre, a 13th-century mill stands at the highest point of the estate, at 17 metres above sea level.
Our two main geological formations are: clay and gravel mix on the lower part of the vineyard, and deep Bordeaux gravel on the upper parts of the estate. Our vines are 35 years old on average, but some of our blocks were planted in the 1950s and are now 70 years old, still producing very elegant Cabernet Sauvignon.
These vines, inherited and preserved, are cultivated with respect. An everyday observation and attentive care guide every decision in the management of the vineyard.
6 grape varieties
68% Cabernet Sauvignon
36 blocks
17 metres above sea level
The
White Wines
Hélène and Frédéric Soual, driven by the energy of challenges, took on the bet of producing white wine in the heart of the Médoc. The answer to this audacious bet turned out to be a sandy-marl plot situated in the locality known as "Le Retout". A fresh terroir, perfect to allow the typicity of Médoc's white wine to express itself — and to reveal new wine textures and new aromas.
Previously planted with Merlot Noir in the 1970s, this 1.5-hectare block was re-grafted in 2009 with 3 original grape varieties that had never been planted in the region before:
The Sauvignon Gris, native to Bordeaux, is today rarely used in Bordeaux blends. It sets the rhythm of our harvest season as it is the first to be picked and brought to the cellar. The true backbone of our white blend, we love it for its freshness and its seriousness.
The Gros Manseng, a grape variety from the Gers and the Pyrenees, mainly used for Jurançon dry and sweet wines. It reveals its best in the Médoc when one knows how to listen to it and give it time.
The Savagnin, king variety of the Jura's traditional wines, can be aged without oxidation to produce excellent traditional white wines. It reveals its beautiful golden hue and floral aromas that we appreciate every single year.
6Grape varieties
68,5 %Cabernet Sauvignon
17metresaltitude
High-quality,
eco-friendly viticulture
Château du Retout's vineyards are worked with as little human intervention as possible to make our vines more resilient which will, in turn, reveal the power of their terroir.
- Tilling matching each block's behaviour and each vintage
- 100% natural fertiliser made from horse manure and organic waste from the estate
- Integrated vineyard protection
- No CMR classified products
- No herbicides
- No insecticides
- Tilling matching each block's behaviour and each vintage
- 100% natural fertiliser made from horse manure and organic waste from the estate
- Integrated vineyard protection
- No CMR classified products
- No herbicides
- No insecticides
HVE: the guarantee for a sustainable and responsible farming approach. Château du Retout has been certified HVE (High Environmental Value) Level 3 (out of 3) since 2017. This government-recognised voluntary certification demonstrates that every farmer is conscious of their impact on the environment and works every year toward improvement. We are focused on four main themes:
- Preservation of biodiversity (hedges, grass strips, insects, etc.)
- Vineyard protection strategy
- Fertiliser management
- Water resource management