Laithwaites buy third Bordeaux estate

Laithwaites Wine, the independent wine merchant begun in the late 60s by Tony Laithwaite, has purchased a third estate in Bordeaux. Chateau du Bois, a 25-hectare AOC Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux estate, is in the Castillon village of Saint Colombe, where Tony Laithwaite bought his first vineyard, Chateau La Clariere, in 1980. Combined with his existing properties of La Clariere and Chateau Verniotte, the family now has a total vineyard area of 30 hectares.

Tony's son Henry Laithwaite will be running the estate and it was he who identified the vineyard was available - the owner had died and his family were not maintaining the vines. Henry has been helping with the Bordeaux harvests since his childhood and remembers his first proper Bordeaux vintage as a winemaker in 2002. He will work with Laithwaites’ wine director Justin Howard-Sneyd MW on a development plan for the new vineyard. The family also owns vineyards in Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, and in 2011 planted vines in Windsor Great Park.