The Bouteiller Family: a Family and a History

1793
On 17 May on the quays of Bordeaux, a man is hurrying through the busy, picturesque crowd, unconcerned about the bustle of the port and the precious scent of spices and tropical wood. He has an important appointment. He is on his way to signing the deeds that will make him the owner of one of the greatest ‘crus’ in the Haut Médoc: Château Lanessan. His name is Jean Delbos. Up to now he has been a prosperous ship owner, but he has decided that he now wants to be a passionate winemaker. And he has handed this passion down, unharmed, through his descendants to modern times.

1855
In a few months’ time, Napoleon III will be inaugurating the universal exhibition in Paris. France is actively preparing for the event, which will mark the height of its sovereign’s reign. In Bordeaux, the excitement has reached fever pitch. Today, the wines deemed worthy to figure at the exhibition are to be judged. Château Lanessan has been selected with ease. All that remains is to undergo the tasting test. Unfortunately, Louis Delbos, the former ship owner’s son, decides at the last minute not to send the samples that he has been asked to provide, believing that, in the end, his wine has an excellent reputation and one more ranking is not going to add to its fame. At the time, Louis Delbos could hardly imagine that this little ranking for an exhibition would later become the famous, awe-inspiring 1855 Ranking!

1867
The hundred-year-old oaks that line the imposing drive of Château Lanessan can’t believe it. Every day they watch as an impressive cohort of workers, masons, joiners and marble workers file past. Why all this movement? André Delbos is inaugurating his reign. Until his death in 1909, he never ceases to enlarge and improve the estate. In 1878, the old château leaves its foundations and gives way to an elegant successor, harmonious and distinguished, the one that we see today.  In 1887, he built the model winery, which was awarded a gold medal by the Ministry of Agriculture and the respect of Bordeaux’ winemakers.

André Delbos had another devouring passion: horses, beautiful carriages and equipages. He built a stable, a shed and a tack room, which have been carefully preserved and are still much admired by visitors (see the Horse Museum).

1907
Marie-Louise Delbos, André’s daughter, marries Etienne Bouteiller. A name with a destiny, particularly justified as his family is descended from King Louis XIV’s “Bouteiller” [King’s Butler], who was given honorary responsibility for the royal cellars.

1961-62
Following the catastrophic frost of 1956, Jean Bouteiller, son of Marie-Louise and Etienne Bouteiller, decides in 1961 to buy part of the neighbouring estate: Château Lachesnaye. This ‘cru bourgeois supérieur’, close to Château Lanessan, allows the family enterprise to develop. Jean Bouteiller pursues his idea and buys Château de Sainte Gemme, in 1962, which gives the three châteaux a direct exit to the Bordeaux road in Pauillac. The Bouteiller trilogy is now complete and, on the death of Jean Bouteiller in the same year, the foundations of the current company are now built.

The estate is then run successively by two of his sons. Firstly, Bertrand Bouteiller follows on from his father before taking over the running of Pichon-Longueville in 1970 and, later, Château Palmer. From 1970, Hubert Bouteiller took over the reins of the company and is still in charge in 2007.

Today
The family group is organised around its 380 hectares: The “Groupement Foncier Agricole (GFA) des Domaines Bouteiller” is the owner of the 3 Châteaux:

Château Lanessan
Château Lachesnaye
Château de Sainte Gemme

The “Société Civile d’Exploitation Agricole (SCEA) Delbos Bouteiller” develops the land on the estates, vinifies the wines and markets them. The “Groupement Forestier des Landes de Lanessan” covers 179 hectares of pines, poplars, oaks, cork oaks and copses that provide the “lung” for this carefully balanced collection that was entirely re-formed after the storm of December 1999.