A brief history
Fonréaud, a name derived from a legend as well as a location on the roof of the Médoc, already make this property an exceptional place. “Fonréaud”, formerly “Font-réaux”, means “Fontaine Royale”. Indeed, legend has it that in the 12th century, the King of England and husband of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Henri II Plantagenêt, stopped there to quench his thirst at a very cool spring. It still exists in our park.
The current cellars were built in the 17th century, then redesigned over time. The castle replaced the original farmhouse, when in 1850 Henri Le Blanc de Mauvezin, then owner, decided on its construction. Completed in 1855, the castle, built to plans by the Bordeaux architect Garros, will seduce you with its extremely elegant architecture.
In 1962, Léo Chanfreau, winegrower in Algeria, returned with his family to Metropolitan France. He then visited many properties and then fell in love with Fonréaud. Everything has to be redone: the vineyard has only 17 hectares of very old vines and the venerable wooden vats of the vat room are doomed to destruction. Léo enthusiastically embarks on this new challenge. He replanted the vines, built the concrete vat room, which we still use today, and undertook major work in the castle, including the south wing, which he was rebuilding stone by stone. Victim of a tractor accident in 1970, he left his work unfinished. His father, Marcel, Chanfreau, who resides at Château Lestage, then takes over until Jean, then a child, decides to come and settle in Listrac upon completing his studies as an agricultural engineer.
