Château La Tour de By

The history of Château La Tour de By

Château La Tour de By belonged in 1599 to Pierre Tizon, seigneur du Fief de By, and was then called La Roque de By. It took its definitive name in 1876. The property remained in the By family until 1725, when it was purchased by the Comte de Gramont. In 1860, it passed into the hands of Alfred Rubichon, who undertook the construction of the château as it stands today.

Château La Tour de By was then sold to Julien Damoy, before being taken over in 1965 by Messrs Pagès, Lapalu and Cailloux, repatriates from Tunisia. In 1999, Marc Pagès bought out his partners' shares and became sole owner.

Today, the last of his grandsons, Benjamin Richer de Forges, and his cousin Frédéric, manage Château La Tour de By. Since 2011, Château La Valière, an estate located on the banks of the Gironde, just 3 kilometers from La Tour de By, has been purchased to expand the vineyard.

The Château La Tour de By vineyard

The Château La Tour de By vineyard covers 109 hectares. It is divided into two distinct terroirs:
-65 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (35%) and Petit Verdot (5%), on the gravelly Tour de By hilltop in the commune of Bégadan, facing the Gironde, which passes 200 meters away.
-In Saint Christoly, 44 hectares of Merlot (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (45%) and Cabernet franc (5%), on the gravelly hilltop and clay-limestone soil.

The average age of the vines is 40 years. Since the 1980s, Château La Tour de By has been managed organically, using ecological methods to manage pests and diseases. Since 2015, the estate has been certified HVE (Haute Valeur Environnementale) level 3, which is the highest level in the category.

In addition to using environmentally-friendly products, all waste associated with the business is sorted for recycling or specific treatment. Last but not least, membership of the Natura 2000 charter for the Médoc marshes guarantees the protection of the region's flora and fauna. The Château is now part of the Parc Naturel Régional du Médoc, created in May 2019.

The wine of Château La Tour de By

Château La Tour de By is a magnificent Cru Bourgeois Supérieur from the Médoc. Composed of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (35%) and Petit Verdot (5%), the wine boasts an elegant ruby color. The nose is fine and elegant, dominated by aromas of blueberry and blackberry.

The palate is intense and fresh, with good length. Silky tannins consolidate the wine's already robust structure. Château La Tour de By is a wine for long ageing.