The André LurTon STory Château Bonnet, which is owned by

Denis Dubourdieu, Winemaker
The André Lurton Story
Château Bonnet, which is owned by vintner André Lurton, came into the family when
it was purchased and replanted by Lurton’s grandfather in 1897. Lurton inherited the
property 50 years later in 1956 and set about making changes that would alter the
course of Bordeaux winemaking.
Michel Rolland, Winemaker
Lurton’s most controversial decision was to source Château Bonnet’s white wine from
vineyards in the Entre-Deux-Mers AOC, an area that had a reputation for producing
low-quality, sweet wine. Lurton, however, saw potential in this region, and the dry,
aromatic white wine he produced proved what the vineyards were capable of. The rest
of the region quickly adopted Lurton’s methods of skin maceration and cold fermentation,
and white Bordeaux began taking on the modern style we are now familiar with. Today,
Château Bonnet white is the leader in its category, with one bottle sold every 15 seconds.
After his success in Entre-Deux-Mers, Lurton began snapping up high-quality, undervalued vineyard acreage, building Château Bonnet from a small family estate into the
largest château in Bordeaux. Throughout the past 60 years that Lurton has managed the
château, he has never wavered in his stringent quality standards or his commitment to
preserving traditional winemaking techniques. At the same time, Lurton is at the
forefront of technical advances in the cellar and vineyards, and as one of the top three
land-owners in Bordeaux, he has an exceptional level of control over his fruit. This
combination of tradition, modernity, and vineyard ownership means Lurton has the rare
ability to offer unique, terroir-driven wines with consistently excellent quality.
Denis Dubourdieu, Winemaker
In November 2004, Decanter magazine dubbed Lurton winemaker Denis Dubourdieu
“wine’s most famous scientist.” He’s the mastermind behind Lurton’s white wines, but he
also manages and consults for several other Bordeaux properties, including Château
Doisy-Daëne, a Second Cru Classé in Sauternes, and Château Cheval Blanc, one of only
four Premier Grand Cru Classé (A) châteaux in Saint-Émilion. Denis studied Oenology at
the University of Bordeaux and has since returned to his alma mater to teach.
Michel Rolland, Winemaker
The art of Lurton’s red winemaking is in the hands of famed Bordeaux consultant
Michel Rolland. In addition to crafting Lurton’s wines, Michel consults at such prestigious
Bordeaux châteaux as Angelus, Ausone, and Pavie, which constitute three of the four
Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A chateaux, as well as at Lascombes (Margaux
2nd Cru Classé) and Léoville-Poyferré (Saint-Julien 2nd Cru Classé). Michel graduated
from the Bordeaux Oenology Institute in 1972.
Points of Distinction
- In 2013, André Lurton was awarded the
Medal of Officer of the National Order of
the Legion of Honor, France’s most prestigious
award, to commend him for his contributions
to the wine industry.
- As one of the top three landowners in Bordeaux,
André Lurton has a rare level of fruit control
and can assure consistently excellent quality.
©2015 Imported by Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, White Plains, NY 10604. Please Drink Responsibly.
- André Lurton has been certified for sustainable
agriculture for over 10 years and received EU
ISO 14001 environmental management certification
in 2011.
C h â t e a u B on n et w h i t e
C hâte au Bon n e t RED
Varietal Composition
Varietal Composition
50% Sauvignon Blanc, 35% Sémillon,
15% Muscadelle
50% Merlot, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon
Sourcing
Sourcing
Château Bonnet vineyards, Bordeaux AOC
Château Bonnet vineyards, Bordeaux AOC
Winemaking
Winemaking
Sourced from a 19-year-old plot in the
clay-limestone, clay-siliceous Château
Bonnet vineyards, the grapes are fermented
after a cold soak in temperature-controlled
stainless-steel tanks. The wine is then
aged sur lie for four months for added
richness and complexity.
Sourced from a 17-year-old plot in the
clay-limestone, clay-siliceous Château
Bonnet vineyards, the grapes are fermented
in temperature-controlled stainless-steel
tanks to maintain the wine’s fresh fruit
character. The wine is aged for 12 months
in French oak barrique, 20% new.
Tasting notes
Tasting
notes
The aromatic nose shows floral notes with
pink grapefruit overtones. The palate is
medium bodied and mouth filling but with
zippy acidity.
The nose show notes of red fruit accompanied by
smoky, vanilla nuances. On the palate,
the wine is medium bodied and beautifully
balanced, with elegant tannins and
food-friendly acidity.
Bordeaux is meant to be opened
©2015 Imported by Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, White Plains, NY 10604. Please Drink Responsibly.