Overview

Chateau Marquis de Terme is a winery in the Margaux appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. The wine produced here was classified as one of ten Quatrimes Crus (Fourth Growths) in the historic Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.

Chateau Marquis de Terme was once part of the vast Rauzan estate owned by Pierre de Mesures de Rauzan in the mid-17th century. Over time this estate was divided, and by the time of the 1855 Classification, had been separated into the estates of Chateau Rauzan-Gassies, Chateau Rauzan-Segla, Chateau Desmirail, and Chateau Marquis de Terme. The Chateau's history under the name Chateau Marquis de Terme officially began in 1762. It was created as a marriage dowry when Ledoulex d'Emplet offered the chateau to Francois de Peguilhan, Marquis de Terme who was marrying her daughter, Elizabeth de Ledoulex d'Emplet. Though the chateau would be classified as a Fourth Growth in the Medoc Classification of 1855, the estate was already made famous in the 1700's. American President Thomas Jefferson, who was a wine connoisseur, visited Bordeaux in 1787. He declared Chateau Marquis de Terme as one of the 16 best Bordeaux wines he tasted.

Today the chateau is still owned by the Seneclauze family, who purchased it in 1935. This 35 ha property produces on average 13,000 cases per year. Located in the centre of the Margaux appellation, the property shares a similar climate to that enjoyed by the Medoc maritime, with the Gironde estuary and the Bay of Biscay combining to act as a climate regulator and the coastal pine forests sheltering the vines from the westerly and north-westerly winds.

The vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 55%, Merlot 35%, Cabernet Franc 3%, Petit Verdot 7% lie on gravelly-clay soils and are planted to 10,000 vines per hectare. The assemblage is generally 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petit Verdot. Vinification sees fermentation and maceration in oak barrels for two months, followed by ageing partly in cement eggs for one year with the lees in suspension and 50% in new oak.

Chateau Marquis de Terme also have a special cuvee produced since 2012 known as Cuvee 9, aged entirely in cement eggs there is a production run of 999 bottles a year. The second wine is called Termes de Gondats, formerly named La Mariotte Margaux.