Rauzan-Segla buys neighbour

The owners of Château Rauzan-Ségla have bought another estate that borders their Saint Emilion property, Château Canon.

The Wertheimer family, who also own Chanel, bought Château Matras, a classed vineyard, for a reported €8 million.

Rauzan-Ségla’s director, John Kolasa, said that the new property and its 12 hectares would provide fruit for Canon’s second wine, Clos Canon as well as continuing in its own right.

“We’re going to do good things (with the estate)” Kolasa promised.

French newspaper Sud-Ouest said that the Bernard family’s decision had been brought about, “as so often happens in the wine industry, by diverging views within a family”.

Véronique Gaboriaud-Bernard, who has run the château for 30 years said she was: “Very sad. I didn’t want to sell. The château isn’t at all in financial difficulty.”

However, her two sisters did and the property was put on the market last year.

Rupert Millar, 23.06.2011