Pierre Jean Larraqué owns 3 estates in the heart of the Bordeaux vineyards. He cultivates his philosophy since his early childhood, during which, beside his grandfather and his father, he learns the vine and wine craft. Today at the helm of 201 hectares of vineyards and the Larraqué Vins International family group, Pierre Jean Larraqué conveys his values and philosophy of wine by bringing to the world another vision of the Bordeaux wines.
Château le Virou, in the Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux appellation, is a fascinating property in many ways. Between history and modernity, this estate, the largest vineyard in Europe enclosed by walls, retraces through its cuvées four centuries of history.
Located in the heart of the Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux appellation, in the village of Saint Girons d'Aiguevives, Château le Virou extends on a magnificent clay and limestone plateau, characteristic of the great wines of the right bank of Bordeaux. Built in 1640 by the monks of the Carmes Déchaussés, the property has an exceptional historical heritage. A monastery, a chapel, undergrounds are part of its historical heritage that gives Château le Virou this authentic and unique atmosphere.
Four centuries after its creation, Virou continues to write its history. The chapel, located on a beautiful plateau planted with tress, overlooking the property, offers an exceptional view of the vineyard and its surroundings. Fitted with French oak barrels, the chapel is now the only place for the vinification and aging of the cuvée Sublimus, a white Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux.
As for the underground, it shelters the barrel cellars of Sublimus red, the high-end cuvee of Château le Virou. Sublimus by Château le Virou is the very essence of a know-how, the best of a terroir, the top-of-the-range cuvée of the estate. Resulting from a rigorous plot selection, it is in the greatest secrecy that this wine continues its aging in 400-liter barrels for 24 months in the undergrounds of Le Virou. An exceptional place, which keeps alive the tradition of this secret passage built by the monks more than four centuries ago.
The Vieilles Vignes cuvée of Château le Virou, aged for 12 months in barrels, is the iconic cuvée of the estate. Awarded medals every year for more than 20 years, each vintage of this cuvee is the fruit of two years of work in the vineyards and in the cellars. With its 2016 vintage, awarded gold at Concours Général Agricole of Paris and 2 stars at the Hachette guide, Pierre Jean Larraqué confirms the high quality level of his property, which is among the best terroirs of the appellation.
Recently nominated in the top 100 of the chateaus that move the lines in terms of environment in Bordeaux, Château le Virou is a vineyard turned towards the future. Aware of the environmental issues, Pierre Jean Larraqué has committed his properties into the HEV 3 (High Environmental Value) certification, the highest environmental certification of France resulting from the Grenelle Environment Forum. This certification attests to environmental excellence translated by the compulsory achievement of performance thresholds in 4 areas: the stimulation of biodiversity to activate the microbial life of the soil, the management of fertilization by naturally reinforcing the vineyard that draws resources from an exceptional terroir, the phytosanitary strategy and the implementation of a real policy of water management and wastewater recycling. To transmit to future generations a healthy planet is a duty that requires the commitment of all. Pierre Jean Larraqué speaks about “environmental awareness” and is committed, through its properties, to the protection of nature and respect for the environment. As he says so well: “The future is built up when it crosses the time”.
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