TIME

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From a high promontory

on the summit of a plateau
above the Dordogne River
and the slopes of Saint-Émilion,

Château de Pressac
has kept watch over the valley
for more than six centuries.

Lending its name to a grape variety,
the château has become

an enduring figure in the history of France.

Here, grapevine and time are
intrinsically linked...


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Château de Pressac

was founded in the Middle Ages.

Various architectural elements bear witness to this,

including the monumental gate housed in the estate's outer wall.

The château was fortified on several occasions.

1453
Cited by historians,

Château de Pressac was the site of the surrender

of the Battle of Castillon which marked the end

of the Hundred Years' War.

In the Renaissance period,

Pressac's imposing square

featured some 27 towers,

vestiges of which still remain today.

1737-1747
Vassal de Montviel planted the estate with Auxerrois,

a noble grape variety originating in Quercy.

Adopted by the surrounding vineyards,

this grape became known as "Noir de Pressac".

Sieur Malbek later developed the variety in the Médoc,

where it gradually became referred to as Malbec.

1775
When the château was sold by Sieur d'Anglade,

the site was described as a vineyard

"preceded by moats... vat rooms,

cellars and a forecourt,

all surrounded by castle walls."

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1860

Maximin Josselin purchased the property

and completed major renovation work.

Built in the Neo-Gothic style,

the current château is a clear example

of the architectural fervour developed

in the Bordeaux region at the time.
XXth century

Becoming the new owners in 1997,

Jean-François and Dominique Quenin

would go on to complete major development work

on the vineyard. Vines were reintroduced to the steep slopes,

formerly worked with oxen, in narrow terraces.

The cellar was redesigned and renovated in 1999.
XXIst century
In 2012, Château de Pressac was promoted to

Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé status,

in recognition of the excellence of the terroir,

the vineyard and its wines,

as well as the estate's management

and its ambitious vision for the site.
With neither haste nor relent,

TIME

continues its sure and steady work.

Vineyard, château and cellar have become one

a single and multi-faceted entity

in constant evolution.
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