As you probably know, our home, Chateau Coulon Laurensac, has been the heart of our Bordeaux Wine Experiences for over two decades.

Built in 1724, our little “Palladian palace” has been our home for the past 23 years.

Milestone
And this year marks its tricentennial anniversary.

The vintage 2024 is particularly special for us, as we celebrate 300 years of history within these cherished walls.

To honor this milestone, I’ve dedicated this issue of Bordeaux Wine Magazine to the rich history of the chateau.

And to the reason that has brought us to our Bordeaux chateau:

Sharing our love for Bordeaux with wine enthusiasts from around the globe.

Not all is sunshine lollipop and roses
Wine is meant to bring pleasure and memorable experiences.

But alas, sometimes things go wrong.

Burglars recently made off with €60,000 worth of fine wine from a Paris restaurant.

The crooks broke into a Paris restaurant in the dead of night and stole more than 750 bottles of fine wine from the cellar.

Why not offer a Bordeaux Wine Experience for Christmas?
A 2025 Bordeaux Wine Tour makes a unique and memorable Christmas gift for any wine lover.

Unlike material gifts, experiences create lasting memories.

Here’s why a Bordeaux Wine Experience will be a standout present:

Taste all 5 First Growths + Château d’Yquem:
Savor some of Bordeaux’s most prestigious wines with your meals, including all five First Growths and Château Yquem.

Exclusive Gourmet Dining:
Relish in gourmet meals at Bordeaux Chateaux and private venues, offering a rare culinary treat.

Historic Chateau Stay:
Stay at a charming 18th-century chateau for an authentic Bordeaux experience.

Grand Cru Farewell Dinner:
End your journey with a Grand Cru dinner featuring rare wines like Chateau Margaux 1985 and over 30-year-old Château d’Yquem.

More than a gift
Offering a 2025 Bordeaux Wine Tour is more than a gift; it’s an invitation to enjoy the art and taste of the unique Bordeaux wine culture.

2025 availabilities
We still have two single rooms available for the Bordeaux Grand Cru Harvest Tours in September 2025.

Only two double rooms and one single remain for the Bordeaux Grand Cru Tour in May and June 2025.

On our tours you will taste many wines, including all five First Growths plus Yquem.

All wines come from my cellar
I haven’t been to Paris lately, so I promise that none of our wines are stolen from a restaurant😉.

This is your chance! Request your itinerary today and prepare for an unforgettable experience.

Still not convinced?
Take a look at what Henriette and Ove had to say after their tour with us:

“This has truly been the experience of a lifetime!

All of our expectations have been met, and we have discovered delicious wines we’d never even heard about.

A steep learning curve, but so much fun.
Ronald and Margaret, you are the perfect hosts.

We have enjoyed every minute of this week, and are leaving with happy memories, new knowledge and new friends.”

Check out all guest comments here.

A privilege, living here
Just outside Bordeaux, our 18th-century Château Coulon Laurensac is the ideal starting point for exploring the region’s renowned wine areas.

On your Bordeaux Wine Experience tour, you’ll stay at this beautiful château, with picturesque views of its park and rose garden.

A happy few
In over three centuries, just seven families  have called its limestone walls home.

The first owner’s story is especially compelling—300 years ago, he enjoyed wine by the same fireplace we now sit by each day.

Living in this historic château is a privilege we cherish.

And a just few times each year, we open our home for you to share this unique experience with us.

The most beautiful home we’d ever seen
Margaret vividly recalls the first time she saw this stunning estate:

“Behind a (then) blue wrought-iron gate, we glimpsed the entrance to the most beautiful home we’d ever seen.

I remember asking Ronald to pinch me—was this place truly for sale, and were we really the first in line to make it ours?

It felt like fate, and we fell in love instantly.

We spent Christmas 2001 packing boxes, and by the first week of January 2002, Château Coulon Laurensac was our home.”

300 Years of History in Every Corner
Our real estate agent knew little about the property’s history, only that it once served as a wine-producing estate.

Thankfully, our new neighbors helped us piece together the story of the historic homes along le Bord de l’Eau (the riverbank), that gave Bordeaux its name.

With a few initial leads from them, Margaret dove into the Bordeaux archives.

And she uncovered fascinating details about Château Coulon Laurensac’s three-century legacy.

A Chateau built by a crook
In 1715, Joseph Bertrand de Roberic, Great Chancellor and Provost of Guyenne, acquired the land known as Coulon Laurensac.

And he built the main house in 1724.

Estates like this were traditionally referred to as bourdieus.

These were noble farm estates consisting  of a grand house, a vineyard, farm grounds,  and living quarters for winemakers and staff.

An above-ground wine cellar (chai), and a cuvier for winemaking were indispensable.

Roberic the Robber
Joseph Roberic, the estate’s first owner, was a man of means and influence.

As the Provost General of Bordeaux, he served as the local head of the military police.

In that role he was responsible for maintaining law and order and collecting taxes on behalf of King Louis XV.

Building budget
Roberic’s role went beyond his official duties—he orchestrated several profitable side schemes.

One involved creating a unit of fictitious chevaliers stationed in Blaye and pocketing their salaries.

This scheme provided him with the budget to build the chateau that we currently call our home.

A yearly challenge
Each year, however, he faced the challenge of deceiving the King’s Inspector General during the yearly military review.

To solve this, Roberic presented real cavaliers from Coutras as the non-existing unit from Blaye.

Following the morning inspection in Blaye, our crook cleverly scheduled the afternoon inspection for this “second unit” in Coutras.

Roberic made sure that  the Inspector General had ample wine over lunch.

Row, row, row your boat…
During this lunch his cavaliers- that had posed that morning in Blaye- rode back to Coutras and presented themselves to be inspected again as the second unit.

Intoxicated by the many wines, the inspector didn’t realize that he was inspecting the same soldiers a second time.

Cookie jar
Roberic’s schemes allowed him to “live well” for years—until 1735, when he was caught with his hands in the cookie jar, so to speak.

Consequently, he was sentenced to nine years in the galleys.

It’s far from certain, he ever actually served this sentence…

A Legacy of Family Ownership
In 1764, Château Coulon Laurensac was sold by his daughter Margaret (ironically the same name as my own Margaret).

The next owner was François Félix Batanchon, a former naval captain who had become a wine trader.

Batanchon invested in renovating the house, restoring the farm buildings, and tending to the vineyards.

Over the years, the estate changed hands through two more families before being purchased in 1842 by Eugène Beyssac, another wine merchant with multiple properties along the riverbank.

A nice wedding present
While Beyssac eventually sold most of his holdings, he kept Château Coulon Laurensac. In 1868 he gifted it to his daughter, Marie Anne, as a wedding present.

Ronald and Margaret carry on the legacy
The château remained with the Beyssac family for five generations until it was sold in 1960.

In 2001, Ronald and Margaret became the latest owners, continuing its legacy to this very day.

Over the last century, much of the estate’s land was sold off to cover France’s significant inheritance taxes.

After World War II, the estate’s vineyards were uprooted and the property size reduced to its current 12 acres (5 hectares).

History and heritage
Today, Château Coulon Laurensac stands as a beautiful blend of history and heritage, lovingly preserved by Ronald and Margaret.

Guests from all over the world have been enjoying the chateau on our Bordeaux Wine Experiences for the last two decades.

Criminals attracted by wine too
For the last five or six years, there has been an increase in wine thefts.

The price of wine has risen considerably over the last couple of years, and that unfortunately attracts criminals.

Recently, burglars broke into a Paris restaurant in the dead of night, and made off with over 750 bottles of exquisite wine from its cellar.

These wines were valued at €60,000 (USD 64,000).

The thieves forced their way into the restaurant’s wine cellar, swiping the high-end bottles during the night.

This theft is the latest in a series of similar crimes plaguing Paris.

Criminals now seem to target smaller restaurants as well.

Thieves typically raid wine cellars, load dozens of cases into cars, and make a quick getaway into the Parisian night.

This is definitely one of the most exclusive tours that we offer. Embark on the Bordeaux Grand Cru Tour, an experience that exudes opulence in every aspect, from exquisite cuisine to exceptional wines.

Indulge in chateau-meals that transcend ordinary dining, offering an exclusive and luxurious culinary journey.

The gastronomic delights are nothing short of extraordinary, featuring exclusive meals set in remarkable venues typically inaccessible to the public.

Immerse yourself in a world of culinary opulence, where each bite is a testament to the artistry of Bordeaux’s culinary tradition.

As if that weren’t enough, the tour presents a rare opportunity to taste all five First Growths of over 20 years old, plus the Superior First Growth Chateau d’Yquem of over 30 years old!

The combination of exclusive dining, exceptional wines, and the opportunity to savor aged vintages makes this tour a cherished and unforgettable journey for those seeking the epitome of Bordeaux’s culinary and oenophilic excellence.

What makes it even more special is the inclusion of older vintages, adding a unique dimension to the wine-tasting experience.

It’s no wonder that the Bordeaux Grand Cru Tour has earned its status as a beloved favorite.

The Bordeaux Grand Cru Harvest Tour
Behold one of our most exclusive tours, a wine lover’s dream come true in the heart of Bordeaux.

This ultimate wine tour promises an unparalleled experience, setting the bar for perfection.

The pinnacle of excitement in Bordeaux unfolds during harvest time, a period where anticipation permeates the air, and the vineyards come alive with energy.

Prepare to be amazed as you savor the exquisite taste of all five First Growths of over 20 years old plus the distinguished Superior First Growth Chateau d’Yquem of over 30 years old! 

The tour doesn’t stop there; it extends to include the best offerings from Saint Emilion and Pomerol, featuring many older vintages.

Elevating the experience further are the outstanding meals meticulously curated at exceptional venues rarely accessible to the public.

It’s this combination of extraordinary tastings and exclusive gastronomic adventures that places this tour in such high demand, creating an irresistible allure for Bordeaux enthusiasts seeking the epitome of wine, culinary excellence, and the unique charm of harvest season.

It’s no surprise that the Bordeaux Grand Cru Harvest Tour has become a cherished favorite.