From Tunisia to the Grands Crus of the Médoc

Diary entry #2: I'm going to be the spokesperson for Château de la Tour de By , our family property in the Médoc, even though on a daily basis there are two of us managing this grand lady of Bordeaux: my cousin, Frédéric Le Clerc, and myself… But we'll have the opportunity to talk about it again!

Our family history has its roots in Tunisia.

Let's start at the beginning: our family history is rooted in Tunisia, where my ancestors settled at the start of French colonization in the 1880s. They quickly fell in love with the country and established a farm, "Crétéville," where they cultivated all kinds of crops: olive trees, orange trees, cereals, livestock, and also vines, notably in Mornag, near Tunis. Their estate flourished and expanded considerably. Our grandfather, Marc Pagès, was one of its last representatives until 1962, when Tunisia gained its independence. Our family then returned to France, and after two years spent in the Gers region working on farms, my grandfather and my great-uncle, Guy Pagès, bought two properties 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 Tour de By, along with two other families who were also settlers in Tunisia, because of the quality of its gravelly soil, its geographical location, and its mild climate: a terroir 200 meters from the Gironde estuary and 15 kilometers from its mouth, 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, and driven by a strong business sense and a commitment to customer loyalty, my grandfather was fortunate enough to join the prestigious Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux in the 1970s. This association quickly became an essential meeting point for the finest estates of the Médoc , Saint-Émilion , Graves , Pessac-Léognan, and Sauternes appellations .

Our wines grace the finest tables around the world.

Recognizing early on the importance of understanding your customers to earn their loyalty, our grandfather developed his own distribution network for his wines, selling to a select clientele, both passing through and remotely, as well as to fine wine shops and restaurants, both in France and abroad. As a result, Château de la Tour de By wines graced the tables of prestigious restaurants (Le Ritz, L'Assiette Champenoise, Le Taillevent, etc.), graced the shelves of renowned wine cellars, and very quickly expanded into export markets, notably 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, etc., and we are expanding our presence in China. This is a very important market for us, so we're taking the time to do things right, as we've always done in new markets, without rushing, and by finding partners who share our vision of long-term collaboration! Across all these markets, our wines stand out for their finesse and consistency; Cabernet Sauvignon allows us to produce precise and elegant wines, full of freshness, with tangy and minty notes. Merlot brings its charm and roundness, making it very approachable. As for Petit Verdot, it contributes its refined power. These are wines that age well, like faithful friends who never disappoint. This notion of long-term commitment, follow-through, and loyalty is very important to us; it's also the common thread running through our story and driving our growth.

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

We will be at the Bettane + Desseauve Grand Tasting on December 4th and 5th at the Carrousel du Louvre – stand 112. If you are in Paris, come and meet us; we would be delighted to introduce you to our wines! Benjamin Richer de Forges (winemaker at Château La Tour de By)