October 2, 2017 (Saint-Émilion, France) – Barbara Banke with Pierre and Monique Seillan, joint owners of Château Lassègue in Saint-Émilion, are pleased to announce a new international distribution agreement with Ballande & Méneret, CVBG, Duclot, Joanne, Mähler-Besse and Mestrezat, six of the most respected négociants in Bordeaux, for Lassègue Saint-Émilion Grand Cru in all markets except the United States and Canada. Effective immediately, the six négociants will distribute multiple vintages of Lassègue including Futures beginning with the next Primeurs campaign.
“We are delighted to be working with such an esteemed group of merchants. Their generations of experience will ensure Château Lassègue continues to grow in markets far and wide, ” said Barbara Banke, Chairman of Jackson Family Wines.
Pierre Seillan, Vigneron and Co-Owner of Château Lassègue added, “This partnership is a reflection of the mutual respect our families and the négociants have for each other. With this collaboration, Château Lassègue gains a new group of influential ambassadors who will share our vision and passion for this exceptional estate around the world.”
The relationship was initially established in 2016 when the group of négociants began working with Jackson Family Wines and distributing Vérité (Sonoma County) and Cardinale (Napa Valley) globally, with the exception of the U.S. and Canada.
About Château Lassègue and the Jackson/Banke and Seillan Families
Château Lassègue was passed down through the generations until 2003 when Jess Jackson, Barbara Banke, and Pierre and Monique Seillan discovered and purchased the Estate. Located on the côte of Saint-Émilion, Château Lassègue is a veritable gem, a happy confluence of desirable natural attributes – bathed in sunlight year round, comprising a diversity of soils, old vines, a perfect South-West exposure—the ideal canvas for Pierre’s artistic “micro-cru” approach: a precise division of each vineyard site into small blocks to capture the complexity of the soils.
Jess and Pierre had the vision to discern this potential and created a plan for the improvements they would undertake that would enable Pierre to translate the message of the land and deliver on its ultimate promise. Together they renovated the winemaking facility to accommodate Seillan’s micro-cru philosophy, with all-new equipment for vinification and implemented new viticulture practices.
A new barrel room was designed and completed in 2012, followed by a new reception room to welcome wine connoisseurs and enthusiasts for tastings. On the Château’s south-facing exterior the two iconic vertical sundials (les cadrans) that were created over 250 years ago were restored. Images of these sundials also adorn bottles of the Estate’s flagship wine, Lassègue, and its second label, Les Cadrans de Lassègue, which is named for them.
The result of these improvements is a 34-hectare estate firmly grounded in the traditions of Saint-Émilion, but enhanced by the modern equipment and enlightened practices needed to bring the quality of wines to the highest level. The shared vision of the Jackson and Banke family along with the Seillans—that the wines of Château Lassègue will be recognized as one of the premier producers in the region—is now also shared by the next generations of their families as Katie, Julia and Christopher Jackson work alongside Hélène and Nicolas Seillan, united by this same family spirit.
