It is quite an epic … Having taken part in the conquest of Mexico with Maximilien, during the reign of Napoleon III, one of Henri Bourlon’s ancestors settled in Mexico, where he married a French lady. But this did not prevent him from passing on the notion of his French origins to his descendents, because Henri-François’ grandfather volunteered for active service during the First World War. At the beginning of the 1930s, one of his grandsons, Henri-Emile, left the family hacienda to go and study in Switzerland, at the agronomic institute in Freiburg. Treated for a heart murmur, he was sent to convalesce at the home of a family friend, a priest in Puisseguin. Young Henri-Emile was doubly enraptured: first of all by a young lady named Yvette Masseron, who was later to become his wife and whose family owned Château Guibot La Fourvieille; and secondly by Château Guibeau, the neighbouring estate, which he bought in 1936.
His son, Henri Bourlon, therefore now finds himself at the head of these two wine estates, which cover a total area of 33.5 hectares of vines, as well as another of 7.5 hectares, Château Les Barails, in the Côtes de Castillon appellation, planted mainly with Merlot (75%), as well as Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Total annual production represents 250 000 bottles, 200 000 of which in AOC Puisseguin Saint-Emilion.
Passionate about winegrowing, Henri Bourlon has always advocated quality for protecting the environment. In 1960, he was the joint-founder of ‘Connaissance et respect des Vins de France’, the only consumers’ association acknowledged by the European Union. In 1993, he set up a network of weather stations in his vineyards; using a specific software programme, it can define the precise characteristics of each vine illness as soon as it appears, in order to indicate the critical point when treatment becomes necessary. If this is done early enough it prevents contamination spreading. The result is that Henri Bourlon Wine Estates are approved for their exemplary “Rational Vine Growing” techniques.
In 2005, Henri Bourlon progressed a stage further by joining the "1% for the planet" club. Only two wine estates in the world belong to this exclusive club: the other is found in the United States. The company gives 1% of its turnover to the association for the protection of the environment of its choice: in this case, the Surfrider Foundation .
Henri Bourlon Estates belong to the ‘Cercle Rive Droite’ club and the wines are sold directly from the property, except for Château Guibot La Fourvieille, which are sold as futures by Bordeaux wine merchants.
Skill inherited from his predecessors, combined with determination to pursue a quest for excellence have resulted in these efforts being rewarded by a ‘coup de coeur’ in the Hachette wine guide, superb ratings in the ‘Wine Advocate’ and five ‘tastevins’ (the highest rating) awarded by the association ‘Connaissance et respect des Vins de France”.
These achievements have been accomplished thanks to the contributions of an entire family: Henri and his wife Huguette, their daughter Brigitte and her husband Eric Destouet, Estate Manager, as well as their grandchildren, who are ready to continue running these estates in the future.
Frédéric LotVignobles Henri Bourlon
33570 Puisseguin
Tél. 05 57 55 22 75
Fax : 05 57 74 58 52
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