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Origin and history

The Château de Malle, located in Preignac en Gironde, is a wine estate and a listed historic monument. Built in the early seventeenth century by Jacques de Malle, President of the Parliament of Bordeaux, it becomes a symbol of Bordeaux wine production, especially for its white wines sold to local and foreign traders. The estate, which remained in the same family for 400 years, is now known for its wines classified second raw in 1855.

The family of Malle, originally from Bordeaux, marked the history of the castle as early as 1598 with the construction of a first house by Arnaud de Malle. His son, Jacques, erected the present castle and launched wine production. In 1643, the harvest reached 54 barrels and 2 barrels, illustrating the flourishing activity of the estate. The property then passes to the Lur-Saluces by marriage, with Alexandre-Eutrope de Lur-Saluces, who embellishes the park with French gardens and adds his coat of arms to the facades.

In the 18th century, the castle passed through troubled periods, especially with the French Revolution. Claude Henri de Lur-Saluces, seigneur of Malle, was guillotineed in 1793 for "crime of aristocracy". The estate survived thanks to his younger son, Louis-Alexandre-Eugène, a royalist MP. In 1855, the château's locust was classified as the second great cru, consolidating its reputation. After centuries of hereditary transmission, the estate was bought in 2024 by Luc Planty, who began his conversion to organic farming and opened the castle to visits.

The architecture of the castle mixes classicism and Renaissance influences, with an honorary courtyard decorated with pilasters and wings completed by towers. Ranked a historic monument in 1949, the building is completed by 6 hectares of Italian gardens, classified since 1943, decorated with basins, statues and terraces. These gardens celebrate the works of the vineyard, mythology and commedia dell-arte, reflecting the cultural and wine-growing importance of the estate.

The vineyard of 38 hectares, present since 1666, produces dry and liquorous white wines under the appellation Sauternes and Graves. After a period of abandonment post-2018, the takeover in 2024 revived the activity with an orientation towards wine tourism. The estate now offers visits combining historical heritage and wine discovery, with a project to develop seminar rooms.

Since 2024, Malle Castle, now open to the public, combines historical preservation and wine innovation. The conversion into organic farming and the development of wine tourism mark a new era for this emblematic area, while respecting its centuries-old heritage linked to Bordeaux's large families and the excellence of Bordeaux wines.

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