BIRTH OF A VINEYARD

JEAN ALARDBIRTH OF A VINEYARD

The son of a Bordeaux businessman, Jean inherited a property, hitherto neglected by his family, in the heart of the Perigord Pourpre, the second largest vineyard in Aquitaine in 1848. When he visited the area, he discovered the Dordogne Valley, its rich landscape, its historical and architectural heritage, its capital ‘Bergerac’, its bastides, its picturesque villages...and his new home, nestled on the northern slope in the Monbazillac vineyard.

As he was a wine enthusiast and eager to diverge from the family path that had been set out for him, he turned away from his main business to concentrate on Château Theulet’s development. Taking advantage of his entrepreneurial qualities and his strong taste for winemaking, Jean began a policy of major works to transform this former tile factory into a wine estate. He had new buildings constructed to accommodate wine production: large cellars with thick stone walls, a stable for the oxen needed to work the land, and accommodation for the workers. Open-minded and fond of anecdotes about the rise and prosperity of the Bordeaux’s winegrowers, he sent out many invitations in France and abroad. This is how he organized great summer festivities and had his wines tasted.

One day, a convoy of guests arrived, introduced by one of his Dutch friends. The expansion of trade with Holland had begun...