A brief history
Rayne Vigneau vineyard sits on a beautiful ridge overlooking the Sauternes area since the early XVII th century. The Vigneau de Bommes named at the same time the vineyard, the Château, the Seigneury and the Vigneau family, which was the first holder. Gabriel de Vigneau indeed appears in writings from 1635. His son Étienne married Jeanne Sauvage, daughter of the Lord of Yquem, and in 1681 took personal charge of the property's destinies. Madame de Rayne, born Catherine de Pontac, bought the Domaine du Vigneau in 1834.
The official classification of 1855 places the Vigneau among the first growths of Sauternes. In 1867, the great broker Daney gave it the first rank immediately after Yquem. It is Albert de Pontac, grand nephew of Madame de Rayne, who gives his name of "Rayne Vigneau" to the property.
In 1961 the estate was divided. The vineyard and wine facilities are sold. The castle, the outbuildings and the park remain in the family. Investments and considerable work have been done by the successive owners of the vineyard in favor of the quality of the wines.
Between 2004 and 2015, Château de Rayne Vigneau belonged to CA Grands Crus, a subsidiary of the Crédit Agricole Group, which implemented an optimization plan for the entire vineyard.
Today, the Château de Rayne Vigneau, bought by the Trésor du Patrimoine group, is managed by Vincent Labergère, assisted by the advice of oenologist Henri Boyer. The château embodies a sure bet of the appellation claiming, vintage after vintage, a style full of intensity, length and freshness.
