Château Les Grandes Murailles

Les Grandes Murailles takes its name from a monument. A great Dominican monastery once stood near the top of the town of Saint-Émilion, and only one ruined wall of it still stands, towering above the surrounding vineyards. The monastery served as a temporary refuge for French troops during the early stages of the Hundred Years' War, which led to its near-total destruction. The plot of vines in the shadow of this great wall, or grande muraille, has been known as Les Grandes Murailles since at least the 19th century. In Clos Fourtet's account, the monastery dated from the 13th century. Philippe Cuvelier acquired Clos Fourtet in 2001, and the Les Grandes Murailles vines have belonged to the Cuvelier family since 2013. The family also acquired Château Côte de Baleau in 2013 and Château Poujeaux in 2008. At the time of the purchase, Matthieu Cuvelier told Decanter that the family was keeping the brands of the estates it was buying, 'because all have strong identities.' In 2022 the vineyard of Les Grandes Murailles was merged into that of Clos Fourtet.

• Named for the one surviving wall of a Dominican monastery
• Known as Les Grandes Murailles since at least the 19th century
• Owned by the Cuvelier family since 2013
• Vineyard merged into that of Clos Fourtet in 2022

The vineyard lay on the northern edge of the town of Saint-Émilion, directly adjacent to Clos Fourtet. It had 1.46 hectares planted to vines. The vines were 100% Merlot, aged over 30 years, planted at a density of 7,500 vines per hectare. They rooted into soils of mixed clay and limestone, which lie over solid limestone rock. Cellars are carved directly from this rock beneath the vines, with just two metres of limestone supporting the soil and vines above. The work in the vineyard was conventional, with restricted use of synthetic treatments and a traditional approach to leaf-plucking and green harvesting. As of 2023, Clos Fourtet covered 22 hectares of clay over limestone, 2 of which once were Les Grandes Murailles.

• Northern edge of the town of Saint-Émilion, directly adjacent to Clos Fourtet
• 1.46 hectares planted to vines, 100% Merlot
• Mixed clay and limestone soils over solid limestone rock
• Cellars carved from the limestone beneath the vines

The classification of the Saint-Émilion grand cru appellation has existed since 1955 and is revisable every ten years. Les Grandes Murailles was listed among the 64 Grands Crus Classés of the 2012 classification. Its vines were then absorbed into the Clos Fourtet vineyard, a change ratified during the course of the 2022 classification. INAO's national committee approved the 2022 list on 8 September 2022. Clos Fourtet is one of its 14 Premiers Grands Crus Classés, and Côte de Baleau, acquired by the Cuvelier family in 2013, is among its 71 Grands Crus Classés.

• Grand Cru Classé in the 2012 classification
• Vines absorbed into Clos Fourtet, ratified during the 2022 classification
• Clos Fourtet: Premier Grand Cru Classé in the 2022 classification
• Côte de Baleau: Grand Cru Classé in the 2022 classification

Philippe Cuvelier, who acquired Clos Fourtet in 2001, entrusts the running of that estate to his son Matthieu. The family uses organic and biodynamic treatment methods in the Clos Fourtet vineyard.

• Philippe Cuvelier: acquired Clos Fourtet in 2001
• Matthieu Cuvelier: runs Clos Fourtet

The Les Grandes Murailles vines were 100% Merlot. The 2021 Château Les Grandes Murailles was the estate's last vintage. Since 2022 the vineyard has been one small parcel within Clos Fourtet, whose wines carry the Premier Grand Cru Classé rank.

• Château Les Grandes Murailles: from vines that were 100% Merlot
• 2021: the last vintage
• From 2022: part of Clos Fourtet, Premier Grand Cru Classé

Primary sources (Clos Fourtet, the Cuvelier family's estate and owner of the Les Grandes Murailles vines): https://closfourtet.com/en/grande-muraille.html, https://closfourtet.com/en/family.html, https://closfourtet.com/en/wines.html. Official sources: INAO, https://www.inao.gouv.fr/node/32334/printable/pdf (2022 Saint-Émilion grand cru classification). Secondary sources: Decanter, https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/clos-fourtet-family-buys-three-more-saint-emilion-estates-20449/ (Jane Anson, last updated 26 May 2015), https://www.decanter.com/premium/st-emilion-vertical-tasting-20-years-of-clos-fourtet-511023/ (Panos Kakaviatos, last updated 11 October 2023) and https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/only-one-chateau-demoted-in-new-st-emilion-classification-25451/ (Jane Anson and Adam Lechmere, last updated 28 July 2019); Winedoctor, https://www.thewinedoctor.com/bordeaux/grandesmurailles.shtml, https://www.thewinedoctor.com/bordeaux/grandesmurailles_2.shtml and https://www.thewinedoctor.com/tastingsformal/bordeaux2021_2024stemilion2.shtml. Last verified 2026-10-21. Where the owner's site and a secondary source disagree, the owner's site governs.