Chateau Saint-Pierre's elegant building was designed in the pure Medoc tradition. It stands in the midst of the vines. Its winemaking history goes back to the 16th Century. The estate is considered to be one of the oldest in the Médoc. From 1693, the archives confirm the existence of a wine estate known as “Serançan”, owned by the Marquis de Cheverry. In 1767, Baron de Saint-Pierre bought the estate and gave his name to the chateau. The story goes that the good Baron counted on his Patron Saint to open the gates of heaven for him.
Founded in the 17th Century, this 4th Grand Cru Classé was broken up and scattered as a result of several inheritances. In 1982, through a combination of luck and persistence, Henri Martin managed to re-form the estate as it was known in 1855, the year of the famous classification. Since then, thanks to the owners’ commitment, Saint-Pierre has become universally known as a perfect representative of the Saint-Julien Grands Crus Classés.
The Chateau is now the property of Domaines Henri Martin that are run by Henri Martin’s daughter Françoise and husband Jean-Louis Triaud, their two children Vanessa and Jean, and their respective spouses Orphée and Caroline. The family also owns Chateau Gloria, another Saint Julien AOC wine.
"Owned by Domaines Martin, Saint-Pierre is situated just to the south of the village of Saint-Julien, on rather homogenous gravel-clay soils mostly clustered around the château—in notable contrast to its stablemate, Gloria, which is dispersed throughout the appellation on a variety of different soil types. This is an inherently riper site than the ensemble that constitutes Gloria, and that shows in a 2019 that's sensual and creamy, with a richer, more polished profile than the more classically proportioned Gloria. Winemaking, however, follows the same principles: vinification in stainless steel tank with regular but small pump-overs and at a rather low temperature of around 25 degrees Celsius, with extraction adapted in function of the maturity and quality of fruit, followed by élevage in barriques that are chosen with increasing exigence. So, if the 2019 is rich and gourmand, it's also supple and judiciously extracted. - William Kelley"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (April 2022)
