Aviation millionaire Laurent Dassault, owner of Chateau Dassault and Chateau La Fleur, has made an approach to purchase both Chateau La Croix de Gay and La Fleur de Gay from Dr Alain Raynaud.
The sale of these two family estates, both located in Pomerol, would mean Raynaud, president of the Circle de Rive Droite and a close friend of Robert Parker, would no longer own any Bordeaux wine estates.
Raynaud currently consults for a large number of properties around the world, including Clos de l’Eglise in Pomerol, Colgin in Napa and the Barclay Brothers’ new venture on the island of Sark.
The two properties, which Raynaud owns with his sister Chantal Lebreton, are well located on the Pomerol plateau, and between them have 12.5 hectares of vines (9.5ha for La Croix de Gay, and 3ha for La Fleur de Gay).
According to local vineyard experts, the two vineyards together should be worth in excess of 35 million euros.
Alain Raynaud told decanter.com: ‘I have not yet made any decisions, and will do so by the end of the year. It is not always easy to work both properties between just the two of us, but these are family estates and we will take the necessary time to reflect.’
In 2008, Raynaud sold Chateau Quinault L’Enclos to Raspail Investissement, an investment company jointly owned by Bernard Arnault and Albert Frère of Chateau Cheval Blanc.
Dassault is also owner of Argentinean vineyards Casa Los Dassos and Flechas de los Andes.
Written by Jane Anson in Bordeaux
