SECOND SITE St-Emilion & Pomerol
Stumped by the price of a particularly famous château in St-Emilion or Pomerol? Attracted by the style and execution but know the wine is out of reach? There may be a solution. A number of these grand estates also own properties in less exalted appellations, often using the same team and work practices as they do at the top estate. The wines, therefore, have a defined quality, but the bonus is they sell at a much more affordable price.
The most usual reasons for the acquisition of a secondary estate (or estates) are diversification and expansion into a more affordable region, land-wise. With prices per hectare popping in St-Emilion and Pomerol, the likes of Castillon, Lalande de Pomerol, the St-Emilion satellites and even parts of Entre-deux-Mers (see ‘Expert’s choice’, p86) can look highly attractive. There can also be a sentimental stimulus and, when it comes to a key figure running the great estate, the motivation of a more personalised project.
Come what may, the ‘other’ property, which, geographically speaking, is rarely situated far from its celebrated stablemate, is an interesting option for the discerning consumer. No, it won’t
