Château de Camensac

What Château de Camensac does

Château de Camensac is a privately owned Bordeaux wine estate located in Saint-Laurent-Médoc in the Haut-Médoc appellation of France. Founded in 1799 by Joseph Popp, the property was classified as a Grand Cru Classé (Fifth Growth) in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification under Napoleon III — one of only 14 classified growths in Haut-Médoc. The estate controls 86 hectares of vineyard in production (across 123 plots on a 150-hectare total estate), planted approximately 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot on soils combining Villafranchian and Gunzian gravels with clay over shallow limestone. Winemaking relies on traditional methods including manual harvesting, plot-by-plot vinification, gravity-flow facilities, malolactic fermentation in barrel for the Grand Cru, and oak aging (14-18 months in French oak, 60% new barrels for the Grand Cru; 12 months with 10% new oak for the second wine). Sustainable practices include mechanical soil work, HVE 3 certification (since 2021), and biodynamic trials on 7 hectares.

The estate operates under the legal entity LE CHATEAU DE CAMENSAC (SA), with €235,000 share capital, and has been owned since 2005 by Jean Merlaut and Céline Villars-Foubet as part of the Merlaut family portfolio, which also includes Gruaud-Larose, Haut-Bages Liberal, Ferrière, Chasse-Spleen, and Citran. Revenue derives from sales of two wines — the flagship Château de Camensac Grand Cru Classé 1855 and the second wine La Closerie de Camensac — distributed through international wine retailers across Europe and globally, with the estate actively recruiting new distributors. A four-tier wine tourism offering (Essential, Discovery, Picnic, Gourmet) generated supplementary direct revenue but ceased operations on June 24, 2025. End customers are wine enthusiasts, collectors, and tourists; the multi-language digital presence (French, English, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish) supports both retail and trade channels.

Name

Château de Camensac

Legal name

LE CHATEAU DE CAMENSAC

Website

https://chateaucamensac.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1799

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Château de Camensac is a privately owned 1855 Grand Cru Classé (Fifth Growth) Bordeaux wine estate in Haut-Médoc producing flagship Grand Cru and second wine La Closerie de Camensac for international wine enthusiasts, collectors, and retail trade.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Bordeaux Wine Production

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (424820), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE)

Keywords

• Bordeaux wine production
• Premium classified wine
• Haut-Médoc appellation
• Wine tourism experiences
• Estate-bottled wines

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-laurent-de-médoc

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Wine Sales - Grand Cru Classé: Primary revenue from direct sales of Château de Camensac Grand Cru Classé 1855. The wine is aged 5-7 years before optimal drinking and can be kept for up to 30 years. Distributed through retailers in Europe and internationally.
2. Wine Sales - Second Wine: Sales of La Closerie de Camensac, the château's second wine. More accessible price point for earlier drinking (3-5 years), maintaining brand presence across price tiers.
3. Wine Tourism Experiences: Revenue from guided tours of the château, vineyards, and cellars with wine tastings. Four tour formats available: Essential (€15), Discovery (€40), Picnic (€45), and Gourmet (€25). Note: Wine tourism activities will cease as of June 24, 2025.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Château de Camensac is a historic Haut-Médoc wine estate that produces and sells two classified Bordeaux wines: its flagship Château de Camensac Grand Cru Classé 1855 (a 50/50 Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend aged 14-18 months in 60% new French oak) and its second wine La Closerie de Camensac (Merlot-forward, aged 12 months in 10% new French oak). The estate also offered wine tourism experiences (Essential, Discovery, Picnic, and Gourmet tours) which ceased on June 24, 2025. Wines are distributed through international retailers and via direct on-property sales.

Product overview

Château de Camensac is a Fifth Growth (1855 Bordeaux Classification) wine estate in Haut-Médoc producing two wines: the flagship Château de Camensac Grand Cru Classé (Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend aged 14-18 months in 60% new French oak) and its more accessible second wine La Closerie de Camensac (Merlot-forward, aged 12 months with 10% new oak). The estate also offers enotourism experiences including Essential Tours, Discovery Tours, Picnic Tours, and Gourmet Tours featuring wine tastings and pairings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• La Closerie de Camensac: Second wine of Château de Camensac, made from carefully selected batches of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Also known as Second de Camensac or Joli Pin.
• Château de Camensac Grand Cru Classé

Products and services

• Château de Camensac Grand Cru Classé 1855 The flagship classified Bordeaux wine from Château de Camensac, a 50/50 Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend aged 14-18 months in French oak barrels (60% new). Recognized for elegance, modernity, and aging potential of up to 30 years (optimal drinking 5-7 years). Sold through international wine retailers and direct from the chateau.
• La Closerie de Camensac (Second Wine) The second wine of Château de Camensac, predominantly Merlot with subtle Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 12 months in French oak barrels (10% new). Designed for earlier drinking (3-5 years) with soft tannins and elegant fruit, offering a more accessible entry point to the chateau's wines.
• Essential Tour A 1-hour guided tour of the 18th-century chartreuse, vineyards, and winery facilities followed by a tasting of both estate wines (Château de Camensac Grand Cru Classé and La Closerie de Camensac). Priced at €15 per person, free for children under 18. Note: wine tourism ceased on June 24, 2025.
• Discovery Tour A 1.5-hour experience featuring a tour of the chateau property followed by a vertical tasting of vintages (2006, 2009, 2011, 2015). Maximum 10 participants, priced at €40 per person. Note: wine tourism ceased on June 24, 2025.
• Picnic Tour A 2-hour outdoor experience including a winery tour, picnic basket, and a glass of Château de Camensac 2010. Priced at €45 per person (€35 for under 18), requires 48-hour advance booking. Note: wine tourism ceased on June 24, 2025.
• Gourmet Tour A tasting experience pairing three estate wines (La Closerie de Camensac 2015, Château de Camensac 2010 and 2015) with artisanal chocolates from Jordan Bac, a local chocolatier in Saint-Laurent-Médoc. Priced at €25 per person, requires 48-hour advance booking. Note: wine tourism ceased on June 24, 2025.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Jordan Bac ChocolatierminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtisanal chocolate maker based in Saint-Laurent-Médoc providing chocolates for the château's Gourmet tour experience. Features 3 wine pairings (Closerie de Camensac 2015, Château de Camensac 2010 and 2015) with handmade chocolates.
• EENOVminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWebsite design and development agency based in Mérignac, France (SARL, capital €50,000). Responsible for the château's multilingual website creation and maintenance.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Château d'Issan: Margaux Third Growth (1855) producing a similar Cabernet/Merlot blend with international distribution. Comparable classified-growth operating model and DTC/experiential marketing approach.
• Château Cantemerle: Haut-Médoc Fifth Growth (1855), one of only a handful of classified growths in the appellation alongside Camensac. Comparable vineyard scale, blend profile, and export distribution model.
• Château Belgrave: Haut-Médoc Fifth Growth (1855) classified estate, sister-tier to Camensac within the appellation. Operates a similar flagship plus second wine model with international wholesaler distribution.
• Château Ferrière: Margaux Third Growth (1855) under Merlaut family control. Provides a same-portfolio, higher-appellation benchmark for blend, oak, and aging decisions relevant to Camensac's winemaking.
• Château Gruaud-Larose: Saint-Julien Second Growth (1855) owned by the Merlaut family, the same group that controls Camensac. Same ownership, similar Bordeaux production model with flagship and second wine, and shared distribution platform — making it the closest operating peer.
• Château Chasse-Spleen: Moulis-en-Médoc estate also controlled by the Merlaut family. Operates with a comparable flagship/second wine structure and Médoc distribution dynamics, providing a direct intra-portfolio read-across for Camensac.
• Château La Lagune: Haut-Médoc Third Growth classified estate producing Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blends under the same appellation dynamics as Camensac. Useful peer for upper-tier Haut-Médoc pricing benchmarks.
• Château Citran: Haut-Médoc classified estate within the Merlaut family portfolio. Same ownership group, comparable operating footprint, and shared commercial infrastructure.
• Château Haut-Bages Libéral: Pauillac Fifth Growth (1855) within the Merlaut portfolio. Same classification tier as Camensac and overlapping buyer base in export markets — a direct benchmark for pricing and distribution strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite): Owner of Château Lafite Rothschild and a portfolio of classified Bordeaux estates globally. Sets the upper bound for classified Bordeaux pricing and global distribution reach that Camensac operates within.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ChateaudeCamensac
• Facebookfacebook.com/chateau.decamensac
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chateau-de-camensac
• Instagraminstagram.com/chateaudecamensac

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Château de Camensac