Chateau Kirwan

Chateau Kirwan (then La Terre Noble de la Salle) was once the property of Renard de la Salle, a nobleman of Bordeaux extraction. In 1710 the estate was sold to a Sir John Collingwood, a man who had made his fortune as a wine merchant in the Bordeaux. With this background experience and a burning enthusiasm he set about turning the estate into his very own working vineyard.

Collingwood’s daughter married the Irishman Mark Kirwan, from whom the name derives. Kirwan’s efforts paid off in the form of a sterling reputation and upon Thomas Jefferson’s visit (serving as ambassador to France) he heartily complimented the Irishman’s wines.

The estate was seized in 1789 by revolutionaries but Kirwan remained unharmed. Napoleon gave him back his estate and it was during this period that the vineyards underwent their only change, incorporating the adjacent Ganet property.

Mark Kirwan passed away on his estate in 1815 and the property subsequently came into the hands of Camile Godard, a renowned botanist. Godard went on to become Mayor of Bordeaux and upon his death he gave away his wealth to the city he adored.

This resulted in beautiful botanical gardens in the Parc de Bordelais. Sadly, the chateau was neglected and it was auctioned off to the négociant company Schroder & Schyler.

Phylloxera, the great depression and two World Wars took their toll. It was only in 1950 that the chateau began to show signs of a turnaround, undertaken by Jean-Henri who was a member of the next generation Schyler family. Any land dedicated to fallow, hay or any other pursuits were designated for viticulture. Through Schroder & Schyler co. Jean-Henri sought out business contacts across the world.

In 1991 Michel Rolland was hired and his expertise was soon put to work. The result was a vibrant new take on an ancient style and, together with Yann, Natalie and Sophie Schyler the vineyard is heading towards an ever brighter future. Today it remains the home of the venerable Jean-Henri.

The terroir is sandy with a gravelly top soil. The vines have an average age of 27 years and consist of 40 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 percent Merlot, 20 percent Cabernet Franc and a high amount of Petit Verdot (10 percent). The grand vin is oaked for 18 months and the average output of the grand vin is 16,000 cases.