From Tunisia to the Médoc's Grands Crus

Diary #2: I’m going to act as the spokesperson for Château de la Tour de By, our family estate in the Médoc, even though on a day-to-day basis, there are two of us managing this grand Bordeaux estate: my cousin, Frédéric Le Clerc, and myself… But we’ll have a chance to talk more about that later!

Our family's history has its roots in Tunisia

Let’s start at the beginning: our family’s history has its roots in Tunisia, where my ancestors settled at the start of French colonization in the 1880s. They quickly fell in love with this country, where they established a farm called “Crétéville,” growing all kinds of crops—olive trees, orange trees, grains—raising livestock, and cultivating vineyards, particularly in Mornag, near Tunis. Their estate flourished and grew steadily. Our grandfather, Marc Pagès, was one of its last representatives, until 1962, when Tunisia gained independence. Our family then returned to France, and after spending two years in the Gers region on agricultural properties, my grandfather and my great-uncle, Guy Pagès, purchased two estates in the Médoc: Château de la Tour de By and Château Fourcas-Dupré.

Return to France and purchase of the château

My grandfather chose to invest in La Tour de By, along with two families of friends who were also settlers in Tunisia, because of the quality of its gravelly soil, its geographical location, and its mild climate: a vineyard situated 200 meters from the Gironde River and 15 kilometers from the mouth of the estuary, with little risk of frost or hail, in short, ideal conditions for making quality wine! A true pioneer of the Northern Médoc, passionate about viticulture, driven by a keen business sense and the loyalty of his customers, my grandfather was fortunate enough to join the prestigious Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux in the 1970s. This association quickly became an essential gathering point for the finest estates of the Médoc, Saint-Émilion, Graves, Pessac-Léognan, and Sauternes regions.

Our wines are served at fine dining establishments around the world

Realizing early on that one must know one’s customers to earn their loyalty, our grandfather developed his own distribution network for his wines by selling to individual customers—both those visiting the estate and those purchasing remotely—as well as to prestigious wine cellars and fine restaurants in France and abroad. As a result, the wines of Château de la Tour de By found their way onto the tables of prestigious restaurants (Le Ritz, l’Assiette Champenoise, Le Taillevent…), into fine wine cellars, and very quickly into export markets, particularly the United States, as early as the 1970s. In the 1990s, we focused our efforts on the European market, which was closer and less risky. We now export our wines throughout Europe and North America (particularly to Quebec). Asia and China? We have a long-standing presence in Asia: Laos, Thailand, Vietnam… and we are expanding our presence in China. This is a very important market for us, so we take the time to do things right—just as we’ve always done in new markets—without rushing, and by finding partners who share our vision of a long-term collaboration! Across all these markets, our wines stand out for their finesse and consistency; Cabernet Sauvignon yields precise, elegant wines, full of freshness, with tart and minty notes. Merlot lends its charm and roundness, making the wine very approachable. As for Petit Verdot, it brings its refined power. These are wines that age well, like loyal friends who never disappoint. This concept of the long term, of follow-through, and of loyalty is very important to us; it is also the common thread running through our history and our approach.

What's new? The Grand Tasting on December 4 and 5 in Paris

We will be at the Grand Tasting Bettane + Desseauve on December 4 and 5 at the Carrousel du Louvre—booth 112. If you’re in Paris, come meet us; we’d love to introduce you to our wines! Benjamin Richer de Forges (winemaker at Château La Tour de By)