Ex Château de Sours owner invests in Pomerol

Highlights

The man who sold Château de Sours to Chinese billionaire Jack Ma has used some of the proceeds to buy and re-name a wine estate in Pomerol on Bordeaux's Right Bank.

Martin Krajewski, who earlier this year sold Château de Sours in AOC Bordeaux to Alibaba Jack Ma, has acquired Château Monbrun, a small estate in the Pomerol appellation.

The 2.23 hectare Monbrun estate is planted to 100% Merlot, with vines up to 55 years old, and is situated close to the village of Catusseau, facing Château Nenin and Château La Pointe.

A separate plot of land near to the vines has also been purchased with a house and winery that was formerly a tiny family-owned property. It will now be entirely renovated.

Krajewski has re-named the property Château Seraphine, and created a new label incorporating elements of his family’s ancient Polish coat of arms.

His daughter, Charlotte Krajewski, will be joining him from Elephant Hill in New Zealand’s Hawke’s Bay.

Terroir expert Xavier Choné will study the estate’s soils to help establish a vineyard strategy. Florent Dumeau will join as winemaking consultant.

‘Both Xavier and Florent have already worked with us for the past 12 years at Château de Sours and Clos Cantenac in St-Emilion, and more recently, on our Aristea Wines project in the Cape in South Africa,’ Krajewski told Decanter.com.

A new winery is planned for the 2017 harvest.

Krajewski also owns a distillery in Oslo, the first privately owned distillery in Norway since 1927, where he is currently producing a gin, an aquavit and bitters.