Penfolds doubles its presence in France after acquiring Château Lanessan.

The deal includes 390 hectares of land in the appellation O-Medok, 80 hectares of which are currently planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, as well as a winery. This will allow TWE's flagship brand, Penfolds, to focus on creating blends using grapes from Bordeaux and Barossa.

Earlier this year, chief winemaker Peter Gago introduced Penfolds II, a blend of Cabernet-Shiraz-Merlot created in partnership with Dourthe Bordeaux. The wine consisted of 71% grapes grown in Bordeaux and 29% grapes grown in South Australia, made from the 2019 vintage and bottled in Australia. "This is the beginning of our French winemaking journey," Gago said at the time. "Our main goal?

Additional projects include FWT 585, produced at Château La Pelouse in Bordeaux, ongoing collaboration with Champagne Thienot, and wine from Napa Valley in California. This project will now receive a new boost following TWE's acquisition of Château Lanessan. Château Lanessan was founded by Bordeaux wine merchant Jean Delbos in 1793, and nine generations of the Bouteiller family have served as its guardians in the subsequent centuries. TWE plans to continue producing wine under the brands Château Lanessan, Les Calèches de Lanessan, and Château de Sainte Gemme, which will be distributed through existing channels, as well as create wine for Penfolds' transcontinental blends.

“We look forward to collaborating with the Bouteille family and winemakers to enhance the production capabilities of the estate and the reputation of high-quality wine, as well as to strengthen our relationships with the local Bordeaux community,” said Penfolds CEO Tom King. “The winemaking traditions of this region perfectly complement the quality and innovation for which Penfolds is known, and we have ambitious plans to invest in this historic property and attract wine lovers to discover the unique winemaking traditions of the region.”

The overall goal is to strengthen TWE's "multiple regional supply strategy" and "reinforce Penfolds' position as a global symbol of luxury." The company stated that it will provide more information about the restoration and development of the estate next year.

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