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How one forgotten Cru Bourgeois found a new life through passion, patience, and family
Some wine estates have enjoyed centuries of uninterrupted success.
Others have had to be rescued.
The story of Château Hourbanon belongs to the second category. Hidden near the town of Lesparre, in the heart of the Médoc, this historic Cru Bourgeois almost disappeared before one family’s determination brought it back to life.
Today, the 2016 vintage tells not only the story of a classic Médoc wine, but also of a vineyard reborn through passion and perseverance.
A forgotten Cru Bourgeois
The name Hourbanon first appeared in the famous Féret wine guide in the late nineteenth century.
By 1898, the estate had earned the title of Cru Bourgeois, a distinction recognising some of the Médoc’s finest estates outside the celebrated 1855 Classification.
Like many Bordeaux properties, however, the twentieth century brought difficult times. Ownership changed, the vineyard declined, and for a period the estate was almost abandoned.
Its future seemed uncertain.
A remarkable family adventure
Everything changed in 1974, when Rémi Delayat, a dentist with a passion for wine, purchased the neglected property.
There was an enormous amount of work to do.
The winery had fallen into disuse, parts of the property had become farm buildings, and the vineyard itself needed rebuilding almost from scratch.
After Rémi’s untimely passing in 1981, his wife Nicole gave up her own dental career to continue the project they had begun together.
Then, in 1997, their son Hugues Delayat, who had grown up surrounded by vineyards and shared his parents’ passion from an early age, took over the estate.
Today, the family continues to farm the same thirteen hectares with the same objective: producing authentic Médoc wines that faithfully reflect their terroir.
Tradition with thoughtful modernity
Although modern technology has found its place in the cellar, many traditional practices remain unchanged.
The soils are cultivated rather than treated with herbicides, natural amendments are favoured, and the grapes are harvested entirely by hand before careful sorting.
In the winery, temperature-controlled fermentation helps preserve the fruit, while every stage of production is carefully monitored.
It is an approach that combines respect for Médoc tradition with the precision expected of modern winemaking.
The spirit of the Médoc
The Médoc is one of Bordeaux’s most famous wine regions, stretching north from the city of Bordeaux along the Gironde estuary.
Its gravelly soils, shaped over thousands of years, provide ideal conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon, supported by Merlot and the other classic Bordeaux grape varieties.
The resulting wines are known for their balance, elegant tannins, black fruit character, and remarkable ability to evolve over time.
Château Hourbanon embraces this classic Médoc identity with confidence and authenticity.
The role of oak and bottle age
After fermentation, the wine spends between 16 and 20 months ageing in French oak barrels.
This long maturation softens the tannins while gradually adding subtle layers of spice and complexity without overshadowing the fruit.
The 2016 vintage has since enjoyed many additional years in bottle, allowing the wine to evolve beautifully.
With time, youthful fruit gives way to more complex aromas of cedar, tobacco, leather, forest floor and dried fruit—hallmarks of mature Bordeaux that simply cannot be rushed.
This is one of the great pleasures of opening an older vintage: discovering how patiently a wine can transform itself over the years.
In the glass – classic Médoc elegance
Château Hourbanon 2016 displays a deep ruby colour with the first subtle signs of maturity.
The bouquet combines ripe red and black fruits with gentle notes of cedar, spice and undergrowth, while discreet oak adds further complexity.
On the palate, the tannins have become beautifully integrated, giving the wine a smooth, harmonious texture. Freshness remains at its core, carrying the wine towards a long, elegant finish that is unmistakably Médoc.
More than a bottle of Bordeaux
Château Hourbanon is much more than another Bordeaux château.
It is the story of a family who believed that a forgotten vineyard deserved a second chance.
Thanks to three generations of dedication, patience and respect for the land, this historic Cru Bourgeois once again produces wines worthy of its long history.
The 2016 vintage is a wonderful reminder that great wines are not only shaped by terroir, but also by the people who refuse to let that terroir be forgotten.
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