Wine was first made here centuries ago when the property was a priory for Benedictine monks. Following the French Revolution the estate was broken up and sold off and its fortunes would only be revived in the 1950s when it was acquired by wine merchant Alexis Lichine. As the legend goes, shrewd businessman Lichine bought the chateau for a bargain price since it was in such poor condition. Over the years Lichine nursed the property back to health, growing its vineyard holdings to some 58 hectares of prime plots spread across the Margaux region and renovating the winery extensively.
Under the watchful eye of Lichine’s son, Sacha, the chateau continued to blossom in the early 1990s with the help of famed consultant winemaker Michel Rolland. The estate’s second wine is Confidences de Prieure Lichine which is predominantly made from Merlot and a smaller proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon. Crafted from younger vines than the Grand Vin, the wine is aged in second and third-use French oak barrels for 14 months.
The result is a charming Margaux that is approachable even when young thanks to the vibrant dark fruit character, smooth tannins and well-built structure. Thanks to the high proportion of Merlot the texture is velvety smooth with luscious cassis, blackberry and ripe plum notes on the mid-palate which linger on the long finish.