From Paris physics to the vineyards of Pauillac — the story of an unplanned heir

“Why did someone who was in a physics doctoral program come to lead a vineyard in Pauillac?” This question follows the biography of Claire Villars-Lurton, the current owner of Château Haut-Bages Libéral. She had originally been working in Paris on research applying applied physics to archaeology — a path with little connection to wine.

That path was cut short by a loss. In 1992, her mother Bernadette, who led the estate at the time, died suddenly in an accident. Claire left her studies and, under her grandfather Jacques Merlaut, re-enrolled at the University of Bordeaux’s oenology faculty. This story of succession is unavoidable when speaking of Château Haut-Bages Libéral.

Why “Haut” refers to elevation, not rank

The word “Haut” in the château’s name does not indicate a place in the classification hierarchy. It is purely a topographical term, referring to the highest point within the district (lieu-dit) of Bages. In the early 18th century, the Libéral family arrived there and added its own name to the domaine’s name. A place name and a family name — together, these two elements form the château’s name.

The vineyard itself also shows two distinct faces. Half lies on the gravelly (graves) soil of Bages’ historic plateau, while the other half sits on limestone hills that look directly down over the Gironde.

Pauillac is also home to several other châteaux that carry the Bages name, such as Lynch-Bages and Croizet-Bages. However, no reliable record has been found showing that these were once a single estate, or that they were divided from or adjacent to one another. It is more accurate to say that they share only the place name.

In 1855, Haut-Bages Libéral was listed as a Fifth Growth of Pauillac. But from the era of the Libéral family until Jacques Merlaut’s arrival in 1982, the château is said to have changed ownership repeatedly.

1988: the mother who created another wine

Jacques Merlaut, who acquired the château in 1982, entrusted its management to his daughter Bernadette. It was she who took charge of overseeing the vineyard. In 1988, Bernadette created the second wine “La Chapelle de Haut-Bages Libéral.” Made mainly from young-vine fruit with Cabernet Sauvignon as its backbone, this wine is still made today as a second wine reflecting another facet of the estate.

But the era Bernadette led did not last long. In 1992, she died suddenly in an accident. Jacques, in the natural course of things, entrusted the estate to her eldest daughter, Claire.

An unplanned heir remakes the vineyard

At the time, Claire was in Paris, enrolled in a doctoral program applying applied physics to archaeology. Following her mother’s death, she left her studies and, under her grandfather, re-enrolled at the University of Bordeaux’s oenology faculty. In 2000, Claire Villars-Lurton began directing the château.

The second wine her mother had begun was taken up by the daughter who had lost her mother in an accident. From there, Claire went on to remake the vineyard itself. Starting in 2007, she introduced biodynamic-style agroforestry, progressively planting trees such as peach, apple, maple, poplar, cornelian cherry, and elm. In autumn, rye, mustard, clover, fava beans, and lupin are sown as cover crops to nourish the soil. In 2017, she also undertook a major renovation of the winemaking facilities and historic buildings. The estate went on to receive organic certification in 2019 and biodynamic certification in 2021.

From grandfather to mother, from mother to daughter — a line of succession once severed was quietly rejoined, through the remaking of the very soil of the vineyard.

Three Facts Worth Knowing

• “Haut” is not a word of classification. It is simply a topographical term for the highest point within the district of Bages. In the early 18th century, the Libéral family added its own name there.
• It was the mother who created the second wine. In 1988, Bernadette, who led the estate at the time, established “La Chapelle de Haut-Bages Libéral,” which has been made mainly from young-vine fruit ever since.
• The current owner came from a background in physics. Claire Villars-Lurton was in a doctoral program in applied physics in Paris, but left her studies after her mother’s sudden death to re-study at the University of Bordeaux’s oenology faculty.