Chateau Montrose looks set to be sold, decanter.com has learned.
Martin Bouygues, head of the French construction giant Bouygues, is looking to buy the second-growth Bordeaux chateau.
Although Bouygues and his brother, Olivier, are acting alone, the bid to buy the estate was confirmed today by the company.
‘Martin and Olivier Bouygues are in negotiations to buy the chateau either alone or with associates,’ said Bouygues press officer Stéphanie Beauvais. ‘The project is personal and does not concern the Bouygues group.’
Late last week the Journal des Finances, a French stock-exchange monitor, reported that the Chateau’s owner, Jean-Louis Charmolüe, had put the estate on the market.
‘Several big industrial names have stated their interest in the vineyard,’ said the report.
Montrose is considered the ‘Latour of Saint-Estèphe’ and, by a general consensus, produced the ‘wine of the vintage’ in 2003.
Charmolüe could not be reached for comment.
The Bouygues group, which also includes a telecommunications arm, has an estimated market value of US$14.4b and the Bouygues family is, according to Forbes, worth around $1.3b.
Written by Oliver Styles
