Wine Tourism in France: Visit to Château Hourbanon

A visit to Château Hourbanon, a château located in the Médoc region and classified under Grand Vin de Bordeaux. Situated at the gates of Lesparre-Médoc, in the heart of the Médoc, the Hourbanon vineyard has been recognised as a Cru Bourgeois since the late 19th century.

The Hourbanon vineyard appears in the 6th edition of Bordeaux listings, and its wines, according to the Feret editions, were classified in 1893 under the titles of “Artisan Crus” and “Farmer’s Crus.” At that time, the vineyard belonged to the Drouillet family and produced 20 barrels per year, equivalent to approximately 18,000 litres.

By 1898, in the 7th edition of Bordeaux, it was again listed among the Cru Bourgeois wines. Still owned by the same family, production had increased to 35 barrels, or 31,500 litres, equivalent to 42,000 bottles. It was then renamed Cru Hourbanon-Lacardonne, reflecting local place names, as Château La Cardonne was a neighbouring property situated just 1 km along the same road.

In 1974, Rémi Delayat, father of the current owner, acquired this vineyard, which was then in poor condition. Rémi built a modern winery and restored the old cellar to store and age wines in bottles—a major undertaking that took several years. After Rémi’s premature death in 1981, his wife, Nicole Delayat, continued the work.

Today, the estate is managed by their son, Hugues, who resumed operations in 1997. Château Hourbanon is a member of both Vigneron Indépendant and Vignerons et Patrimoine, associations of winemakers dedicated to the tradition of French wine and a deep respect for the terroir.

During the visit, we enjoyed a vertical tasting of Château Hourbanon wines, ranging from the 2008 to 2013 vintages. This allowed us to observe the evolution of the wines in bottle and compare how different vintages and varying climatic conditions are reflected in the final wines.