Château de Laubade
A property of Armagnac that is synonymous with tradition, innovation and art.
The Château de Laubade is a family property located in the region of Armagnac and specifically the Bas-Armagnac. It was created there more than 140 years ago, in 1870 by Joseph Noulens. The first traces of vine growing on the property also date from the same time.
Mr Moulèns was not just a winemaker but also a great french politician who worked for Armagnac. Indeed, whatever the different political positions he held throughout his political career (mayor, senator, minister of agriculture, ambassador to Russia in 1914 …) he worked to promote Armagnac. He was also the cornerstone of the law defining the production area appellation and regulations around the production of Armagnac. Mr Noulens during his time as an ambassador to Russia, also worked hard to promote Armagnac in this country.
In 1914 the property was sold and passed from hand to hand until 1974 when the Château de Laubade (30 hectares at the time) was acquired by Maurice Lesgourgues.
Quickly the Lesgourgues family worked in the recovery and restoration of the Château de Laubade (vineyards, buildings, production tools …) even prohibiting the Armagnac sale until 1982 to ensure a minimum of aging to Eaux de-vie. In 1981, during hard times for Armagnac market she had to sell a significant part of the harvest to repay the bank loans.
Today the Château de Laubade after 30 years of work, restoration, restructuring and policy emphasizing quality property is known to be the safe bet of Armagnac. It is regularly winning in competitions both at home and abroad.
The Château de Laubade currently covers 104 hectares in one piece which makes it the largest Armagnac-wine estate. Each year more than 75% of the production is used to produce blended Eaux-de-vie and 25% to produce vintage Armagnac.
Wishing to better control the production and quality and being aware of the importance of using Gascon oak barrels made Lesgourgues the family planted it 15 years ago an oak forest on the property. The project is t that future generations will be able to make barrels with wood from the property.
This will also allow them to produce a 100% Laubade Armagnac.
“Wood is capital! It is essential to produce Armagnac in casks of Biscay if it is not of Armagnac. The soil of oak, the wood grain and inputs to water spirits are not the same depending on the origin of the oak. Traditionally it has always been high in Gascon oak it is unthinkable to raise Armagnac in another type of oak, it would not be of Armagnac. However it is true that it has not only advantages. Oak Gascon has a large grain which increases the angels’ share compared for example to an oak from Tronçais forest. ”
The third generation of the family Lesgourgues has also invested in the wine world. In fact, in 1991 she created ex nihilo Château Haut-Selve located Graves appellation (Bordeaux). The family also has a trading business in wine in the US.
Chateau de Laubade, a property which is concerned with preserving tradition and friendliness Gascon
The Château de Laubade, anxious to preserve the traditions and the link with the inhabitants of the nearby village of Sorbets from where men have always participated in the life of the property, annually organizes the Festival of the Flame.
This event takes place every year in November to celebrate the lighting of the stills of the property. During the Festival, Sorbets residents are also invited to submit vine shoots fire burning in the front of the « L’hôtel des ancêtres » (Hotel of the ancestors), a project made in memory of the men who made the reputation of the Château de Laubade. After, the whole village is invited to lunch at the property.
A winery but also an open-air museum
The passion that the Lesgourgues family shows towards contemporary art, makes it to regularly ask artists to produce works on the property.
Each artist is invited to stay for four weeks on the property, soak up the spirit that prevails at the Château de Laubade course and discovered the world of Armagnac. After 4 weeks of immersion the artist must produce, freely, a work related to the property, its history or Armagnac. After completion they ask the artist to choose the location. As well as and the years the collection of Château de Laubade has now expanded and has 18 sculptures displayed throughout (gardens, vineyards, wineries, Paradise) some of which were produced by internationally renowned artists (Stéphane Azerra, Yves Guérin, Joël Pober …)
Lately it’s Erwan Le Bourdonnec who was invited to create a work. He featured the « Chapelle des Anges » (Chapel of Angels), a work-building 30m2 that while symbolizing Armagnac and barrels greatly involved in the development of the Eau-de-vie also play on light, on the the sky,on the water and on raw and noble materials that make up the work.
What characterizes the Armagnacs of Château de Laubade ?
“Our Armagnacs are aged at least 6 years in Gascon oak barrels. Our Armagnacs are characterized by balance, by the fact that four grape varieties authorized are used, but also because they are not too marked by wood.”
“Our Eaux-de-vie aged in four different barrels cellars. They are all located on Laubade but each has a different exposure. Our Eaux-de-vie, our barrels in cellar move because everyone, due to their exposure will bring different things to our Armagnac.”
If you were to present the Château de Laubade in a few words, Which ones would you use?
“The three values that are important to Laubade are: tradition, innovation, and beauty.”
Focus on the Cuvée « Intemporel N°5 de Château de Laubade »
In 2007 the cuvée “Intemporel (timeless) N°5 de Château de Laubade ” was elected, after tasting of over 700 spirits, best Brandy in the world at the “World Spirits Competition” in San Francisco. The name of this wine is not a tribute, as might be supposed, to a famous world-renowned fragrance but simply an blend number. Indeed in 2005 during the development of this new cuvée of Château de Laubade the cellar master proposed to the Lesgourgues family several different blends, all numbered and it was number 5 that winning the approval of the family but also customers .
Even if there is no connection between the name of the famous Chanel perfume and the Château de Laubade there is still a connection between the high fashion house and the house of Armagnac. Indeed the wife (second marriage/wedding) of Joseph Noulens, Jeanne Paquin, was the first great fashion creative woman in France. She was sort of the muse of a young designer who will later know as the name of Coco Chanel. So we can say that in some way, with the name of this Armagnac cuvée “the circle is complete.”
Side story:
The Château de Laubade was home to the last shepherd Gers making the transhumance by foot. Every year, from November until May Joseph Cazette remains on the Laubade property letting his 600 sheep graze in the vineyards. In exchange for hosting the shepherd it sells organic manure produced by the animals that are used in the vineyards. An exchange of good process that completes the charm of this beautiful property. Imagine yourself on the lawn of this lovely building, facing the vineyards in the background with the Pyrenees moutains between vineyards and sheep eat quietly while sounding their little bells. The image is appealing to more than one city guy!
Thanks to the Lesgourgues family for their warm welcome.
Choukroun Chicheportiche Jonathan
Château de Laubade
32110 Sorbets (France)
Tel: +33 5 57 94 09 20
