The estate has been well known in France for many centuries and was the country residence of Louis XIV’s bodyguard, a certain Monsieur Lacroix Maron, whose family of winegrowers is known for having invented the double distillation process used in the production of Cognac. The château changed hands over the years and was finally bought by Alan Johnson-Hill in 1978. He immediately embarked on an ambitious restoration programme, revitalising the vineyard, modernising the estate and building the château Méaume brand thanks to his marketing expertise and his highly sociable character. In early 2019, Mark Johnson-Hill, Alan’s nephew and godson, took over the vineyard, thus perpetuating the family traditions of this fine estate.
Château Méaume is now sold all over the world, from the United Kingdom to Hong Kong.
Château Méaume is a 250-acre estate, of which 100 acres are devoted to vines and the rest of the land is divided equally between forest and pasture. Every aspect of the estate is centred on sustainability, through good farming practices in the vineyard, the preservation of the forests and the natural rearing of animals in the pastures.
As for the vines, the grape varieties are mainly Merlot, with plots of Cabernet Franc. Only grapes from the estate’s own vineyard are harvested and fermented in the vats on site, to produce the finest wine of château Méaume.
