Pierre Lurton

The Climb

Estate management in Saint-Emilion often starts with vineyard discipline before it becomes a question of reputation. Early in his career, Pierre Lurton worked as manager at Clos Fourtet in Saint-Emilion, a post that placed him inside one of the region’s closely watched vineyard and cellar operations. Bordeaux direction at this level is a multi-estate craft: grand-vin decision-making, sweet-wine selection, advisory work, and development outside the most familiar classified-growth frame. Today, Pierre Lurton is managing director of Château Cheval-Blanc, president of Cheval des Andes, ceo and managing director of Château d'Yquem (since 2004), advisor of some vineyards, and founder/developer of Château Marjosse.

Today

Directing Château Cheval Blanc in Saint-Émilion and Château d’Yquem in Sauternes requires two different kinds of Bordeaux judgment: one built around a major Right Bank estate, the other around one of the region’s most scrutinized sweet-wine properties. Lurton is director of Château Cheval Blanc in Saint-Émilion, France, and is known for directing both that estate and Château d’Yquem in Sauternes. Since 1999, he has been CEO and managing director of Château d’Yquem in Sauternes, France, bringing precision to its selection and release. “We have great symmetry.”

Signature

The signature here sits across estate, appellation, and vintage: Pierre's signature wines include Château d’Yquem, Château Cheval Blanc, Château d'Yquem Sauternes 2011, Château d'Yquem Bordeaux White Y 2012, and Château d'Yquem 2001.

In Their Words “We both seek fruity freshness. We have great symmetry.”

Recognition

Critical recognition in Sauternes is often tied to individual harvests rather than general reputation. Two Château d’Yquem vintages mark the scale of the response to Lurton’s work in Sauternes. Château d’Yquem 2001, presented by him at Wine Spectator’s Wine Experience, is described as a perfect 100-point golden Sauternes. Read together, those two wines show the level of critical attention surrounding his direction of the estate across different harvests. Château Marjosse adds a more experimental signature.