Our Adventure in Medoc
Médoc is a magical region that delivers one of the finest appellations in Bordeaux, establishing its reputation for great wines. It was in the heart of Saint-Julien, the most family-friendly among the appelations, that the Pairault family chose to start their adventure thirty years ago.
Nothing pointed to Fabienne and Philippe Pairault, then active in Paris, to cast off for the unknown; nothing except their entrepreneurial curiosity and their deeply pleasure-loving nature.
At the time, Philippe, an architecture graduate, managed a communications agency which he created in the midst of a 1980s marketing boom: the era of “faire-savoir” with clients in high tech.
Fabienne, journalist and lawyer, followed a smiliar path but in the automotive sector, managing the communication of a major German brand. In addition to their professional activities, the couple were interested in wine, in particular finding a rare nugget to unveil: Bordeaux was the opportunity.
A coup de coeur
It was Fabienne’s coup de coeur for Château Teynac, in the heart of the village of Saint-Julien Beychevelle, that set the adventure in motion. At the time, the property was only 4.5 hectares and there was everything to do.
At the same time, Philippe and Fabienne also visited Château Corconnac, a 8.5 hectare property in the Haut-Médoc appellation. With stone and ideas abounding, it was time to launch a new life for the couple.
The two acquisitions were made in 1990, with the couple making regular return trips between Paris and the Médoc, juggling responsibilities at their jobs and the vineyard. They started by restoring the two properties: restructuring the vineyards, improving production methods and tools and renovating of buildings.
It was also a culture shock for Fabienne and Philippe. Médoc is a somewhat wild peninsula and its inhabitants are proud of their region. The world of wine has its habits and customs and the neo-rural couple needed to find their place in the community.
Over time, the couple acclimatised to the region to finally create a new family around them, in Teynac and Corconnac. A family made up of brokers and traders, journalists, Saint-Julien winemakers and Medoc friends.
Five wines
Over the decades, Fabienne and Philippe have put their energy and passion into their properties.
Teynac has grown from 4.5 to 12.5 hectares, and in 1995 the family acquired Château Les Ormes, a “secret” vintage in the Saint-Julien appellation. Along with Corconnac, the three properties are today at the forefront of simplicity and innovation to produce wines that truly reveal their terroirs.
The couple even planted a special parcel to make a white wine in Corconnac, simply for the pleasure of their friends, linked to a very ancient Médoc tradition. This 100% sauvignon now completes the range with indulgence and freshness.
A family story
Thirty years later, their daughter Éléonore Pairault joined the family adventure. Like her parents, she does things her own way. After having graduated in space and air law, and internships with Dassault Aviation and Airbus Helicopters, Éléonore returned to the vines she has loved and known since a very young age.
Despite a clear path in aeronautics, she started training at Kedge Business School in Bordeaux, and her dissertation focused on drones – but in the vineyard!
Éléonore continues the commitment of her parents with sincerity, accessibility and kindness. Like their neighbours in Saint-Julien, the Pairaults tell a great story of passing on tradition, family values et the love of Médoc.