Oli and gas magnate finalises largest Bordeaux vineyard sale of 2019

Billionaire industrialists the Perrodo family, have paid an estimated €60 million (US$67 million) for Château La Tour de Mons.

(photo: iStock)

The ancient property in Margaux dates back to the 13th century, but was not classified in the 1855 Bordeaux ranking. It was sold in 1995 to French agricultural bank, Crédit Agricole, becoming part of its CA Grands Crus portfolio of estates.

The family office, which owns London-based oil and gas company Perenco, bought the 58-hectare château, which consists of two parts: the main estate of 48 hectares, and a smaller 10 hectare area called Marsac Séguineau, on 31 October.

French bank Crédit Agricole has owned La Tour de Mons since 1995.

The sale marks the family’s fifth Bordeaux vineyard acquisition in 30 years. In 1989, Hubert Perrodo purchased Château Labégorce, subsequently buying L’Abbé Gorsse De Gorsse in 2002, and finally Labégorce Zédé in 2005. His goal was to unify the three vineyards, divided by history, into one estate – Château Labégorce.

In 2006, the entrepreneur and polo player bought Chateau Marquis d’Alesme for €25m. Perrodo died in a skiing accident in the same year. Today, his daughter Nathalie manages the portfolio of Bordeaux estates.

Perrodo was succeded by his wife, Singaporean-born Carrie Perrodo. Forbes magazine estimates Ms Perrodo’s financial worth to be $4.4 billion.

The acquisition of French vineyards by energy firms is becoming a growing trend. In 2010, Russian industrialist Boris Titov purchased Chateau d’Avize in Champagne, a property formerly owned by the LVMH group.