Margaux property sold to Chinese energy firm

One of the Thienpont brothers has sold his two Médoc properties, including one in Margaux, to a Chinese state-owned energy firm.

Luc Thienpont (pictured), brother of Jacques who runs Le Pin in Pomerol, has sold his majority stake in Margaux property Clos des Quatre Vents and Château Bonneau in Haut-Médoc to Liaoning Energy Investment.

According to Vitisphere, he will remain as co-director for Clos des Quatres Vents for a minimum of two years and still owns the Cave des Quatre Vents wine shop in the village of Margaux itself.

The négociant business SARL Thienpont is not affected by the sale.

Thienpont was previously the owner of Margaux estate Labégoce-Zédé which he sold in 2004 to the neighbouring Perrodo family having been the proprietor since his arrival from Belgium in 1979.

According to other reports, Liaoning Energy is to bring in Lina Fan as a Chinese director alongside Thienpont.

Fan has lived in France for years and previously worked in both Champagne and the Loire.

She is also the widow of Peng Wang, the financial advisor and interpreter killed in the recent helicopter crash in the region.

Fan was supposedly in line to run Château de la Riviere before the fatal accident occurred.