Château Hostens-Picant

This superb vineyard, located in the very heart of the Sainte-Foy-Bordeaux appellation on the hillsides of Les Lèves-et-Thoumeyragues, is divided into white vines and red vines. It benefits from varied subsoils, ranging from gravel to flint and clay-limestone soils.
The harvest is carried out by hand and the grapes are sorted by bunch during picking. The white wines are vinified in the best conditions of modern technology, including skin maceration and gentle pneumatic pressing. Fermentation and ageing take place in new oak casks. The red wines are vinified in the purest Bordeaux tradition: vinification by separate grape varieties, ageing in oak casks, and a final blend that gives the wine its full personality.
Nadine and Yves Hostens-Picant have flown the flag for this magnificent estate since 1990. They bought it in 1986, but it was only after 4 years of running it that they signed their first vintage. For 24 years they have travelled the world, taken part in numerous trade fairs, and pushed open the doors of restaurants and wine merchants to offer their wines.
The wines of Château Hostens-Picant have won numerous awards since that 1990; more than a hundred, national and international, salute the efforts and success of this growth.
In 2005 a major restructuring of the vineyard was put in place. The objective is clear: to bring the entire vineyard to a planting density of 6,600 vines per hectare. While this is not done in a day, it is certain that in this context Hostens-Picant still has good surprises in store for lovers of great wines.
The latest surprise is the arrival of the Demoiselles of Château Hostens-Picant.
Nothing suggested that Charlotte and Valentine, the daughters of Nadine and Yves Hostens-Picant, would resolve to take over from their parents.
Charlotte, born in July 1984, studied English at the Faculty of Nanterre and then moved into the hotel and restaurant trades in Thailand, Vietnam, Paris and then the United States.
Valentine, born in December 1987, studied law and Russian. Living in Moscow, she took the opportunity to distribute the wines of the family estate. Very quickly, she realised that wine was her passion. She loves tasting it and sharing it.
She thus joined Château Hostens-Picant first, in February 2013.
Charlotte arrived a year later, in February 2014.
Doubtless steeped in memories of their happy childhood in the family vineyard, they launched into the wonderful world of wine with the same passion as their parents.
2014 will be their first vintage, helped by Eric Fréchou, the memory of the château’s vines and wine, since he has accompanied Nadine and Yves Hostens-Picant from the beginning.
Full of projects, they wish among other things to develop the “welcome at the winegrower’s” side by converting a barn into a reception space for groups. And as both are passionate about photography, they plan to feed the website with images recounting the life of the estate, month by month.
Young and enthusiastic, following in their parents’ footsteps, they too will bring their “Picant” side to this fine story.