Since 1999, Château Margaux has had its own Research and Development (R&D) department, faithful to the spirit of innovation that has driven the estate for centuries. Far from being just a laboratory, this department plays a strategic role in the continuous improvement of the quality of our wines, while respecting the terroir and the identity of our wines.

A team dedicated to winemaking innovation

Led by Blandine de Rouffignac, R&D Manager, alongside Jérôme Godineau, R&D Technician, the department welcomes young talents each year to participate in ongoing trials. Together, they form an agile and rigorous team dedicated to experimentation at all levels of the winemaking process.

Three Priority Research Areas

The projects led by the Château Margaux R&D team are focused on three main challenges:

– Adapting to climate change: studying the effects of water stress, rethinking ripening cycles, and identifying the most resilient growing practices.
– Reducing oenological and phytosanitary inputs: developing natural and sustainable alternatives for a more respectful viticulture.
– Improving practices from vine to bottle: refining winemaking, maturation, and conservation techniques to best reveal the terroir’s expression.

A scientific approach at the heart of the estate

Experiments are conducted in the vineyard, in the cellars, and during wine storage. When they cannot be directly integrated into the Château Margaux vinification process, they are carried out in our dedicated R&D center, equipped with 100-liter vats, allowing us to simulate real-life production conditions on a small scale.

Each innovation is tested, measured, and compared according to a strict protocol before being potentially adopted on a larger scale. No development is implemented without rigorous validation, in keeping with the estate’s historical standards.

Château Margaux thus places viticultural research at the heart of its approach to progress, combining science, tradition, and environmental responsibility to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

News

2023

Alexis Leven-Mentzelopoulos takes ouver as head of Château Margaux

Best wine in the world

Beginning of the white harvest

Olivier Pinon

Suckering

Old vintages

Pruning contest

Winter work

Blending tastings