Episode Details

Jean Pierre Foubet is the managing director of and chief communicator for Château Chasse-Spleen, the best estate in Moulis appellation of the Médoc. His wife, Celine Villars-Foubet is the owner of the estate, and together they have brought this château to new heights in quality and prestige.

Photo: Jean Pierre Foubet. Credit: ROLAND COIFFE & ASSOCIÉS

According to Jane Anson, in her book "Inside Bordeaux":

"One of the star estates of Moulis, Chasse-Spleen is one of only two that I can think of that would have a fair chance of being recognized if the 1855 ranking were to be carried out today"

With their modern outlook, but respect for tradition, they have kept the wine on a path of constant improvement. They have transformed their château into a natural and man-made paradise, one that marries tradition with modernity in the form of art. From the barrel room, to the grounds, to the art gallery, and the accommodations for guests, Chasse-Spleen is a model for how to bring a château into the 21st century.

Céline and Jean-Pierre's personalities, hospitality, and passion show through and it makes the experience of the wines so special, as I found out when I had the pleasure of staying there and spending an evening sipping the unbelievable wine, eating a delicious meal, and having so much fun and many, many laughs with the two of them in 2022.

Jean Pierre joins to tell us about Moulis, Chasse-Spleen, and explains some things to me that I always wanted to ask!

Photo: Jean Pierre Foubet and me, June 2022. Credit: WFNP

Here are some of topics Jean-Pierre and I discuss:

Jean-Pierre talks about the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation, of which he is the head:

• The unique location at "elevation" in Médoc, 17 meters
• The soil diversity with gravel, clay, and composite soils, and how that yields a variety of wine styles
• How practices must be altered in the vineyard, not in the cellar to handle climate change
• How Listrac and Moulis differ, and why it makes sense that they eventually join as one appellation – and how there are three very strong Chateaux ("locomotives" as Jean-Pierre calls them –Chasse-Spleen, Grand Poujeaux, Maucaillou) which are famed all over Europe and carry the reputation for the 34 other châteaux)

Map: AOC Moulis

Then we discuss Chasse-Spleen, an unofficial Grand Cru of the Médoc.

• Jean-Pierre tells us about the early history of Chasse-Spleen, the English origins of its name and its history of women ownership. We discuss some of the harder times in Bordeaux and touch on the difficulties of upkeep of a château.

• We talk about the terroir of Chasse-Spleen – its si