Our History
Overlooking the Gironde estuary, this imposing Renaissance-style residence, set in superb, centuries-old parkland bordered by vines, commands a 10-hectare vineyard planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot grapes…
The history of Château Rousseau de Sipian dates back to the 18th century, when Guillaume Rousseau of Château Frêche married Marie Bert of Château Sipian. The two castles were then united. At the beginning of the Third Republic, their descendant, Aristide Rousseau, decided to give the castle a new lease of life and a new symbol by building a splendid neo-Renaissance château named Château Rousseau de Sipian between 1850 and 1858.
During the Second World War, the castle was bought by the Compagnie Française de Matériel des Chemins de Fer and the famous Marcel Dassault. During this period, the castle’s viticultural activity came to a complete halt, and the buildings underwent a profound transformation, no longer being run as a winery but as a vacation resort.
In 1970, Château Rousseau de Sipian was purchased by a French insurance company and transformed into a “European Scout camp”. The castle was repurposed and today the barrels cellars, which served as their canteen and dormitory, hold the memories of that special time.
In the early 2000s, the Racey family from England purchased the castle and undertook an extensive program of cellar modernization and vineyard restoration to bring the castle back to its former glory.
In 2016, the castle was acquired by Micronesia Holding, a Hong Kong company with a passion for French culture. In order to guarantee the quality of the wines and the day-to-day operation of the castle, the current owners have retained the castle’s original technical and managerial team and, with the careful maintenance of the owners, Château Rousseau de Sipian is set to have even greater potential for growth thanks to the excellent quality of its wines and the great condition in which they are kept.
Our VINEYARD
Since January 2017, Château Rousseau de Sipian has welcomed Mr. Michel Roland, the world-renowned master oenologist, as the winery’s chief consultant oenologist. He plays a crucial role in the precise control of ripeness and yield, and continues to enhance the quality of the wines through the use of advanced winemaking techniques and first-class blending processes. Mr. Michel Rolland has always practiced his unique winemaking philosophy, which has resulted in Château Rousseau de Sipian’s wines achieving significant improvements in consistency and flavor expression, and winning the favor and praise of more wine lovers.
Since its creation, Château Rousseau de Sipian has been cared for and inherited by several generations of owners. They have not only guarded the traditions of the vineyards, but have also constantly optimized their winemaking techniques, always striving to perfect the essence of the Médoc terroir. It is this insistence on and love of quality that has enabled the wines of Château Rousseau de Sipian to retain their outstanding flavor and reputation throughout the generations, and to become the representative wines of the region.
