Hailing from one of the superstar fine wine regions in Bordeaux, Château Maucaillou is a wine that is more than the sum of its parts. Located equidistant between Margaux and St-Julien, Maucaillou is the thinking investors Medoc.

Château Maucaillou literally means “bad stones” and was at first thought (in the 16th century) too rocky to plant. Moving on almost 200 years and the Petit Laroche family saw potential where others had only seen impossibility. A family of successful Bordeaux fine wine negociants, they chose the land primarily for its proximity to the railway, making it easier to ship their customer’s wine. They planted five hectares of vines around the (very beautiful, 19th century) Château and began experimenting with varietals, seeing which ones would be best suited to their gravelly terroir. Today the estate is planted to 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot.

Brothers Roger and André Dourthe bought the estate off the Petit Laroches in 1929 and immediately expanded the surrounding land by 20-hectares. Roger’s son, Phillippe, took over in 1967 and over the next forty years and under his helm, Maucaillou would expand a further 67-hectares to include vines on the three most coveted rises in Moulis. Prior to his death in 2008, Phillippe handed over the running of the estate to his children Caroline, Pascal, and Magali who are making a sterling job of continuing the Dourthe family legacy.

Put simply, the wine is stunning. It ages supremely well and is smooth, round and attractive on the tongue. Investors should note that while Château Maucaillou’s quality is easily on a par with its other Haut Medoc neighbours, it is far behind other Bordeaux red blends price wise. The wine has yet to hit its stride on the secondary market; statistics have shown erratic ROI between 2017-2019 but experts believe that the superior ageing, depth of fruit, smooth finish and excellent value for money will soon seduce both collectors and fine wine investors the world over.