Château de Ricaud

Run by the Thiénot family for a quarter of a century, Château de Ricaud is a magnificent neo-gothic property surrounded by parklands of 300-year old trees. The property dates back to the 15th century, when Gaston de Foix elevated “Ricault” in status, which at the time was owned by Chevalier Bernard Lamensans. The original Château was destroyed by the Dukes of Eperon in 1650, and rebuilt by François de Fleurier in 1674, only to take on its curr...

Set in the midst of a natural ampitheatre, the Château de Ricaud vineyards stretch in a single block across some of the most magnificent slopes in the region, and enjoy natural drainage and perfect aspect. To realise the full potential of the terroir, an ambitious investment plan was launched in 2007. A highly detailed mapping of the soils and subsoils revealed complex, diverse terroirs unique to the Cadillac appellation and identified 50 dist...

Viticulture has been completely reassessed, not only to reveal the true potential of the terroir, but also to guarantee optimum fruit quality. All the more recent vine parcels have been replanted at a density of 6,900 vines/ha in order to favour quality and concentration in the bunches over cropping levels. Frequent, painstaking canopy management techniques are carried out throughout the year to optimise fruit maturity, including bud-rubbing, ...