Jean-Pierre Moueix Three Generations of Bordeaux Brilliance
Jean-Pierre Moueix founded his eponymous, family business in 1937 in Libourne, France. While he started as purely a négociant, Jean-Pierre consolidated his merchant operations in the mid-20th century, with the acquisition of well-known properties across Bordeaux’s renowned Pomerol and Saint-Émilion. His investment in these grand estates is why Jean-Pierre is credited with elevating Pomerol’s status from relatively unknown to the level of international prestige it now enjoys.
Led today by Christian and Edouard Moueix, Jean-Pierre’s son and grandson, the company owns and holds exclusive rights to sell and manage some of the greatest vineyards and wines of Bordeaux. Christian joined the business in 1970, with a focus on modernizing farming activities and improving quality. In 1971, he purchased Château La Grave, a 19th-century château that ranks among Pomerol’s top estates and is considered the equivalent of a third growth in the Médoc. Naturally, the acquisition of this esteemed property helped raise Jean-Pierre Moueix’s profile in Bordeaux and beyond.
In 1999, Christian purchased Château Certan-Giraud, dividing it into two parts and selling one. The remaining 4.5 hectares / 12 acres became Château Hosanna. Long considered one of Pomerol’s great crus, the property adjoins some of the district’s most illustrious châteaux: Lafleur, Pétrus, La Fleur-Pétrus, and Vieux Certan.
As the third generation to join Jean-Pierre Moueix, Edouard has focused on consolidating the company’s holdings and continuing the never-ending quest for excellence. His passion for terroir, combined with a recognition of the importance of tradition, drives his approach to winemaking and business. Like Christian and Jean-Pierre, Edouard champions meticulous, quality-focused viticultural practices that yield fresh, concentrated merlot and cabernet franc grapes. He and Christian have defined a style of winemaking distinguished by integrity and total devotion to the expression of each individual vineyard. Under their leadership, Jean-Pierre Moueix wines regularly win international acclaim — including 90+ point scores from Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate, Wine Enthusiast, Vinous, Decanter, and critic James Suckling.
While Libourne has attracted many successful wine firms, Jean-Pierre Moueix is the most recognized worldwide. Given their ever-vigilant pursuit of quality and the exceptional terroir of their properties, the Moueix family is certain to safeguard that honor for its future generations.
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Founded
1937 -
Location
Bordeaux, France
Terroir
Located on the Right Bank of the Dordogne River, Pomerol is one of Bordeaux’s most celebrated appellations. It has a moderate maritime climate, allowing for a long growing season that helps grapes develop concentration and complexity. Pomerol sits on a plateau overlooking the Isle Valley and benefits from a unique soil composition that’s credited with giving the wines their distinctive character.
Château La Grave lies on the western edge of Pomerol’s plateau, at the beginning of a mile-long gravelly strip that stretches into Saint-Émilion before passing through Château Cheval Blanc and ending at Château Figeac. This exceptional, stony terroir, comprising almost pure gravel in the vineyards, has firmly positioned La Grave as one of Pomerol’s most well-regarded properties.
Situated at the heart of the plateau, Château Hosanna is surrounded by Pomerol icons Pétrus, Lafleur, and Vieux Certan. The vineyard terroir includes red gravel and clay atop a layer of the region’s famed, iron-rich crasse de fer. This subsoil is known for producing merlot and cabernet franc wines of elegance, complexity, and power.
Viticulture
The Moueix family cultivates eight hectares / 20 acres at Château La Grave, planted to 85% merlot and 15% cabernet franc, with an average vine age of 20 years. At Château Hosanna, the family has 4.5 hectares / 12 acres, planted to 79% merlot and 21% cabernet franc. The vines range between 25 and 50 years old, with an average age of 40 years.
During each growing season, the team adapts vineyard work to the environmental conditions. Canopy management is tailored to maintain sufficient vegetation to protect the fruit, while green harvesting limits yields, ensuring that the grapes produced offer exceptional concentration. The team does a strict parcel selection before harvest, with only the best quality grapes making the cut. Harvest takes place entirely by hand, vine by vine, and often bunch by bunch. Afterward, the team uses a sorting table to systematically assure a selection of only the healthiest grapes.
Jean-Pierre Moueix Wines Deliver Authenticity & Elegance
The Moueix family’s winemaking style showcases integrity and devotion to the expression of each individual vineyard. Grapes are gently pressed to extract maximum color and flavor. The wine is gravity fed into oak barriques for fermentation, followed by 16 to 18 months in 40 to 50% new oak barrels, which provide structure, tannin, and complex secondary flavors. As a result, Jean-Pierre Moueix wines are remarkably elegant and authentic to their origins, with the ability to age beautifully for decades.
