The
Place

Understanding
Charmail's Terroir

To understand Charmail, you must first locate it:

France
Bordeaux
Haut-Médoc

This is content relating to Charmail being in France. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Explore Bordeaux <

This is content relating to Charmail being in Bordeaux. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Explore Haut-Médoc <

This is content relating to Charmail being in Haut-Médoc. Château Charmail spans 55 hectares of vines in a single, continuous block — an exceptional feature in the Médoc. Since the 16th century, this land has been recognized for its gravel terroirs and its potential to produce wines of elegance and balance. Even before the 1855 Classification, Saint-Seurin was acknowledged as a Premier Cru by the Intendant de Guyenne in the 1740s, a quiet testament to the region’s natural gifts.

Restart tour <
Soil map
Grape Varieties map
Soil Types
Medium clayey gravel
Silty-sandy
Clayey gravel
Sandy-silty + organic
Predominantly clay
Sandy-silty

Charmail’s vineyard is planted like a mosaic. Each grape variety is matched to its ideal soil:

Cabernet Sauvignon

Thrives on the estate’s highest, driest slopes—silicate gravel from the Pyrenees—providing structure and verticality.

Merlot

Finds its best expression on red clay colluvium soils, rich in iron, which contribute freshness and savory depth.

Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot

Planted on the cooler, finer silty-sandy soils, bringing aromatic nuance and texture.

This thoughtful alignment of soil and variety is what gives Charmail its signature style: structured yet fresh, precise yet full of character. Few Médoc properties offer this diversity of soils within a single, harmonious vineyard.

At the center of the estate stands an 18th-century château. Modest and elegant, it embodies Charmail’s identity—anchored in history, defined by care, and dedicated to continuity.

Two Châteaux, One Legacy

Château Charmail is defined by not one, but two historic residences — each a chapter in the estate’s evolution.

The first, and the one on our label today, is the 19th-century château built in 1865 by M. Boyer of the Verdus estate. Elegant and architectural, it features a cut-stone façade, perfectly symmetrical lines, refined decorative details, and turreted wings. Inside, high ceilings and crafted woodwork speak to a time of thoughtful design and classical Bordeaux charm. It remains the visual heart of Charmail and a symbol of its modern era.

The second, far older residence is the Domaine de Bardis—now affectionately known as La Chartreuse de Charmail. Dating back to the 13th century, this noble estate was once the seat of the Trevey de Charmail family and a pillar of local winegrowing history. Passed down through centuries of Médoc families, it has witnessed eras of both prominence and loss. Its layout—courtyards, outbuildings, and shaded halls—reflects its original use as both noble residence and working vineyard.

In 2021, with the arrival of the Liquard family, a restoration project was born. La Chartreuse de Charmail is being carefully revived, with original beams, doors, and stonework preserved, and new life breathed into its spaces. The vision is not to replicate the past, but to honor it—transforming Bardis into a cultural home for tastings, conversations, workshops, and shared experiences.

This story of two buildings—Verdus and Bardis—is a story of continuity and renewal. Each château reflects a part of who we are: Charmail is at once a vineyard, a living estate, and a place rooted in history yet fully open to the future.