The "Countess" on the Label — A Woman Who Died 140 Years Ago

The name of a Bordeaux château usually records either the land itself or the family name of its owner. This château is a little different. Its name contains a title of rank: Comtesse — countess. And the woman who first bore that title died as long ago as 1882. The rank of a woman who passed away more than 140 years ago still appears on the label today.

Until now, the Bordeaux Château Stories series has followed the five First Growths at the summit of the 1855 Classification. From this installment, we move one tier down, into the fourteen Second Growths. To give the answer first: the reason this name has lived on is not the story of one woman alone. From Virginie in the 19th century to another woman who later led the estate in the 20th, two "countesses," across roughly 130 years, built this château.

The Other Half of Pichon, Born from a Division

The story begins at the end of the 17th century. In 1689, Pierre Desmezures de Rauzan is said to have cleared this land, marking its origin. In 1694, through the marriage of his daughter Thérèse, the estate passed to her husband's family — Jacques de Pichon Longueville, first president of the Bordeaux Parlement — and became the property of the Pichon Longueville family.

A turning point came in 1850. On the death of the head of the family, Baron Joseph, the estate was divided among his five children. Three daughters inherited three-fifths of it, and two sons inherited the rest. The sons' share would later become known as Château Pichon Baron. The daughters' combined three-fifths share became the origin of this château, and it was the eldest, Virginie de Pichon Longueville, who led its management. Its vineyard is said to lie almost adjacent to that of the First Growth Château Latour.

Virginie married Count Henri de Lalande and became Comtesse de Lalande — the Countess of Lalande. She was not a woman who had merely acquired a title. She managed the estate she had inherited at her own discretion, and is said to have already begun, in the 1840s, building a residence inspired by her Bordeaux townhouse, the Hôtel de Lalande. She died on 3 March 1882, leaving no direct descendants.

The name of a countess who left no bloodline of her own has continued to be carved into the château's official name — this is the first part of the story.

The 20th Century: Another Woman at the Helm

In 1925, the Miailhe family, Bordeaux merchants — Édouard Miailhe and Louis Miailhe — acquired the château. More than half a century later, in 1978, Édouard's daughter, Madame May-Éliane de Lencquesaing, became its owner and head.

She led the estate for roughly 30 years, nearly doubling the vineyard from about 40 hectares to more than 80. In 1981, she expanded the underground cellar, and in 1983 she added an orangery and a terrace. Her own management skills were recognized internationally in 1994, when the British magazine Decanter named her Woman of the Year.

About 130 years after Virginie in the 19th century, a woman once again led the expansion of this château's vineyard and facilities.

The Roederer Era, and the Present

On 1 January 2007, the château passed into the hands of Champagne Louis Roederer — the Rouzaud family. Negotiations and the announcement date back to the previous year, 2006. Frédéric Rouzaud, who now leads the group as chairman, took over management from his father that same year, 2006, and oversees the entire wine business of the Roederer family, including this château.

Nicolas Glumineau became estate director on site in 2012. He had previously gained experience at Haut-Brion and Margaux, and served as estate director of Château Montrose from 2007 to 2011; he has since overseen winemaking at this château for 14 years.

And the wine that debuted as a permanent second label in 1973 is still called Réserve de la Comtesse. Owners and managers have changed, but the name alone has not.

Three Facts Worth Knowing

• The "Comtesse" in the château's name refers to a real woman, Virginie de Pichon Longueville. She inherited this land in the 1850 division and managed it herself; her own title as head of the estate became the name of the château.
• The second wine, Réserve de la Comtesse, has carried the same name since 1973. Since it debuted as a permanent line, its name has not changed in more than half a century.
• Madame May-Éliane de Lencquesaing, who led the château for about 30 years from 1978, was the woman who nearly doubled its vineyard. About 130 years after Virginie, a woman once again took the helm of this château.