The history of Château Rouget dates back several centuries. Recognised as far back as the end of the Roman Empire, the Château’s terroirs merged with those of Saint-Emilion.
Château Rouget appears in the archives and land registry as early as 1700, and is considered to be one of the oldest official Pomerol crus. It was during this period that the château was built by the Bayonne family. Its last member, Pierre Bayonne, was mayor of Pomerol under the Consulate and the First Empire. An experienced winegrower, he devoted his life to making Rouget a showcase for his expertise.
At the end of the 19th century, a classification of Pomerol wines placed Rouget among the top five crus in the appellation. This flattering judgement is no doubt due to the remarkable consistency of the estate’s successive owners, who have always worked with the sole aim of producing exceptional wines.
The Labruyère family has its origins in the Beaujolais terroir, where it has owned a wine estate in the Moulin-à-Vent appellation since 1850. Over the years, it has chosen to establish itself in other major wine-producing regions of France, renowned for their exceptional terroirs. That’s how it came to own Château Rouget in 1992. Jean-Pierre Labruyère’s ambition at the helm was to restore the former glory of this estate, which had been identified as one of Pomerol’s finest growths as early as 1868.
