Château Gombaude-Guillot

Six generations on the plateau of Pomerol

The history of Château Gombaude-Guillot begins in 1868, when the Bélevier family estate was passed on as a dowry for the wedding of Marie Bélevier and Pierre Darbeau. At that time, the Béleviers had already been rooted as winemakers in Pomerol and Néac for generations – according to the winery, it is no longer possible to reconstruct exactly how far back the family history actually goes. The current Château building was erected on the estate in 1922; previously, the ensemble served as a local café where villagers met for wine after Sunday mass. The estate takes its name from the two parcels that make it up: Gombaude and Guillot. Today, Claire Laval-Techer, great-granddaughter of Marie Bélevier, manages the winery together with her son Olivier Techer – the sixth generation in a direct line.

Pioneers of organic farming in Bordeaux

In 1983, Claire Laval took over the management of the estate. As a trained agricultural engineer, she placed the terroir at the center of her thinking from the very beginning. In the early 1990s, the estate was the first in the Pomerol appellation to begin organic farming – at a time when this decision was still considered radical in Bordeaux. Official Ecocert certification followed with the 2000 vintage, and biodynamic certification in 2006. This makes Château Gombaude-Guillot the first biodynamically certified estate in the Pomerol appellation to this day.

In the vineyard, any synthetic herbicides and fungicides are avoided. Green manure plants grow between the vine rows, promoting microbial life in the soil. The harvest is carried out exclusively by hand with strict grape selection. In the cellar, the philosophy of minimal intervention guides the work: fermentations run with indigenous yeasts, and sulfur additions are reduced to the absolute necessary minimum. Since 2010, Olivier Techer has vinified the Pom'n'Roll cuvée entirely without added sulfur. Depending on the cuvée, maturation takes place in a combination of cement tanks and oak barrels from France and Austria, typically over twelve to fourteen months.

Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and a touch of Malbec from the bedrock of the plateau

The estate's approximately eight hectares of vineyard area lie two-thirds on the central plateau of Pomerol, surrounded by neighbors such as Pétrus, Le Pin, Clinet, and Trotanoy. The soil consists of glacial gravel deposits over iron-rich clay – the so-called crasse de fer – which gives the classic Pomerol character its mineral depth. The parcels are planted mainly with Merlot, supplemented by Cabernet Franc and a small proportion of over 80-year-old Malbec vines, which contribute spice and complexity to the range.

The range extends from the great Château Gombaude-Guillot to the Clos Plince and the more accessible Pom'n'Roll. The wines show the fullness and silkiness typical of Pomerol, but also a freshness and precision unusual for Bordeaux – a result of biodynamic management and the consistent avoidance of oenological aids. Recommended serving temperature: 16–18 °C, with decanting.