Château La Tour Carnet

The tower at the heart of Château La Tour Carnet was constructed in 1120, establishing it as the oldest château in the Médoc. The estate takes its name from a squire named Carnet who fought in the Hundred Years' War. Over the centuries, notable families including the Foix, Montaigne, and Luetkens families held the property. Phylloxera devastated the vineyards in 1860, and the estate fell into prolonged abandonment before Louis Lipschitz purchased and began restoring it in 1972. The Pèlegrin family subsequently expanded the planted area to 45 hectares before Bernard Magrez acquired the estate around 1999 to 2000.

• Medieval fortified château with moat and drawbridge, tower dating to 1120
• Named after the squire Carnet, a figure from the Hundred Years' War
• Phylloxera caused abandonment from 1860 until restoration began in 1972
• Classified as Fourth Growth in the original 1855 Bordeaux classification

The estate sits in Saint-Laurent-Médoc, a commune in the southern Haut-Médoc between Pauillac and Margaux. Vineyards face south to south-southwest, optimizing sun exposure in the temperate maritime Bordeaux climate. The underlying geology is Günzian gravel resting on clay-limestone bedrock, but the estate encompasses a genuine terroir mosaic, with parcels ranging from sandy-gravelly to silty-gravelly and clay-limestone compositions. This diversity allows the team to blend across multiple soil expressions. Currently 73 hectares are under vine within the 126-hectare estate, though Bernard Magrez's total holdings across all properties reach approximately 190 hectares, the largest of any 1855 Classified Growth.

• South to south-southwest slope aspect for optimal ripening
• Günzian gravel topsoils over clay-limestone bedrock
• Terroir mosaic spans sandy-gravelly, silty-gravelly, and clay-limestone parcels
• 73 hectares currently under vine from a 126-hectare estate

Red wines at La Tour Carnet are led by Merlot, which accounts for 45 to 60 percent of the blend, with Cabernet Sauvignon contributing 35 to 45 percent. Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot round out the blend at minor levels. This Merlot-forward profile is notable for a classified Médoc property, reflecting the cooler, clay-influenced soils of Saint-Laurent compared to the gravel ridges of Pauillac or Saint-Julien. The estate also grows white varieties including Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Sauvignon Gris, and Muscadelle, producing a dry white Bordeaux alongside the flagship red.

• Merlot dominant at 45 to 60 percent, higher than many Médoc peers
• Cabernet Sauvignon at 35 to 45 percent provides structure and aging backbone
• White varieties include Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Sauvignon Gris, and Muscadelle
• Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot play minor complementary roles

Bernard Magrez, the Bordeaux négociant and multi-estate owner, acquired Château La Tour Carnet around 1999 to 2000 and initiated a significant transformation. Vineyard holdings grew from 44 hectares at acquisition to approximately 190 hectares, a scale unprecedented among the 1855 Classified Growths. Investment in the cellar and vineyard management has repositioned the château as one of the more ambitious estates within the Haut-Médoc appellation. The scale of production and extent of holdings make La Tour Carnet a distinctive and commercially important name within the classified growth hierarchy.

• Bernard Magrez acquired the estate around 1999 to 2000
• Vineyard expanded from 44 hectares to approximately 190 hectares total
• Now the largest estate by area among all 61 Bordeaux 1855 Classified Growths
• Significant investment in viticulture and winemaking infrastructure post-acquisition