Château la Motte

The history of Château La Motte dates back to the 15th century when it belonged to René De Dreux. The property was sold in 1498 to Mathurin De Polignac, and then to Jean-Paul Chevalier. It was only in the 18th century that the estate was sold to Gabriel Regnault de la Mothe. At his death, he left his property to his nephew Isle de Beauchaine. Château La Motte is an old fortress dating back to the Middle Ages. Marie-Caroline De Bourbon, Duchess of Berry, stayed in this former feudal castle before being imprisoned by order of King Louis-Philippe in the citadel of Blaye. Château La Motte joined the Valet family with Michel Valet, who then sold it to his two sons in 2016. Today, the property is owned by Xavier Valet, supported by oenologist Mathieu Huguet.

The terroir of Château La Motte covers 13 hectares in one piece encircling the Maison de Maître and the cellars, which brings a lot of coherence in the quality of the lots. The plots are planted with 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, soon replaced by plans from Malbec. The vineyard is close to the regions of Pauillac and Médoc because only the Gironde separate them. The terroir is located on a clay-limestone slope, between the municipalities of Eyrans and Saint-Androny. Ideally exposed, this hill ensures a healthy and ripe harvest. In the vineyards, Xavier Valet opts for a culture respectful of the environment, in accordance with his convictions. It no longer uses weedkillers and promotes a green manure and the planting of cereals between the vines (cross between wheat and barley), their growth favoring a natural work of the soil. Large investments have been made, both in the vineyard and in the winery, with the purchase of a new vertical press and a state-of-the-art sorting machine that allows the grapes to be carefully sorted after the harvest. At Château La Motte, the fauna had gradually disappeared, but thanks to Xavier Valet and his commitment to a vineyard more respectful of our planet, we meet again small hares frolicking through the vines …

At the tasting, the Château La Motte’s robe is bright and garnet, its nose has aromas of ripe fruit. The palate is fleshy with hints of ripe berries with a lot of freshness. The acidity is nice. Everything is balanced, sweet and round. This wine is to be drunk young over the next 3 to 5 years.

Their Team

• Owner : Xavier VALET
• Oenlogist : Mathieu HUGUET