Le château – Château Thénac

12th century heritage

What mysteries lie beneath its stone? Bearing the seal of the Benedictine monks, the château has always been regarded as a place of wisdom.

Château Thénac is one of the rare wines that carries the name of its village. According to historians, the Thénac name is a reference to Athena, ancient goddess of wisdom.

The monks perhaps heard this call to wisdom when in 1109, they decided to build a priory dedicated to Saint Benoit. The priory stood for centuries before being destroyed during the Protestant rebellions of 1621. A new château was built on the ruins and was passed down from family to family until the arrival of the Shvidler family in 2001.

Thénac’s Timeline

1109

A Benedictine priory is built on the spot of the current château. It’s part of the Sauve-Majeure Abbey in Gironde, which owned properties across England and Spain. It’s probable that the monks quickly realised that Thenac’s terroir was well suited to wine growing.

1621

After centuries of prosperity, the priory is destroyed in the turmoil of the Huguenot rebellions. The reformers knock down the church and the Thénac priory. The current château has, however, preserved a few of the priory’s former features, such as some of the beautiful 16th century vaulted rooms.

18th - 20th century

Re-designed and re-built, the château stood the test of time. We have few records of this era, but we do know that the estate was always surrounded by agricultural land and grape vines.

2001

The estate is acquired by the Shvidler family. A great renovation project of the château, the production buildings and the vineyard is begun.

2004

The new vat-house is built. It’s adapted to the demands of plot by plot and intra-plot grape selections.

2007-2010

With the acquisition of new plots, the vineyard grows bigger and the wines become more consistent as quality soars. The new barrel cellar came into operation from 2010.

2012

2012 sees the arrival of Stéphane Guillot. The new director (ex-Domaines Ott) brings with him his expertise in the vinification of grand crus.

2017

The estate begins working with Hubert de Boüard (Château Angélus) as a technical consultant.

The 16th and 17th century framework, which is constructed in the manner of the inverted hull of a ship, was restored and enhanced.

The villagers speak of a secret underground tunnel that connects the château to Thénac’s church, located just 200 metres away. The construction of the vat cellar in 2000 didn’t unearth anything, but the legend lives on.

Stone and old materials are everywhere , creating a warm and authentic atmosphere.

The Shvidler family began a complete renovation of the château, a project carried out stone by stone with the help of ancient heritage experts.

In the kitchen, Jérémie Delcroix prepares seasonal produce for the guests. Thénac’s wines are fantastic when paired with wonderful food.

Chef's recipes