Château Olivier
Château Olivier is an ancient seigneury dating back to the Middle Ages. First mentioned in 1350, it was remodelled in the 15th and 17th centuries. Since the 19th century, the estate has belonged to the Metzler de Bethmann family, who have lived in Bordeaux since the 18th century.
Useful informations
Epicurean discovery
Just 11 kilometres from Bordeaux, in the heart of its 220 hectares, Château Olivier is home to a remarkably rich and diverse flora and fauna. This exceptional biodiversity makes it a rare nature reserve. Owners for 136 years, the De Bethmann family is deeply committed to protecting the environment and its vineyards.
Château Olivier is HVE 3 and ISO 14001 certified, and began organic conversion in 2014. The vineyard covers 60 hectares, including 52 hectares of red vines and 8 hectares of white vines, spread over 13 different types of soil.
The grape varieties typical of the Bordeaux region are grown in the vineyard: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot for the red wines, and Sauvignon and Sémillon for the white wines.
Château Olivier, which has seen generations come and go, the birth of new ambitions and the growth of innovative projects, has other legends to share with you. Successive eras have shaped Château Olivier, which today reflects its rich history and the many generations that have lived here.
The origins of Château Olivier date back to the Middle Ages, when it was just a keep. Writings from that period mention the probable existence of a seigneury called d'Olivey, the only one of its kind in the Léognan seigneury. At the beginning of the 16th century, Arthus d'Olivey, Lord of Léognan, transformed the keep into a defensive château.
At the end of the 17th century, the property passed to Jacques de La Serre, Lord of Olivier. In the 18th century, with the rise of the great Bordeaux wines, Château Olivier took on a new dimension. Jacques Fossier de Lestard, an adviser to the King, acquired the property and gave it its current appearance: he had the first cellars built and installed an ambitious hydraulic system including a jet pool, a fountain and two lakes.
In 1867, Alexandre de Bethmann, from a family of Protestant bankers from Frankfurt who had lived in Bordeaux since the 18th century, co-owner of Gruaud-Larose and mayor of Bordeaux, had the Trois Grâces fountain built on the Place de la Bourse in Bordeaux. Château Olivier entered the family through the wife of his grandson, Jacques de Bethmann, great-grandfather of the current owners. In 1982, Jean-Jacques de Bethmann took over direct management of Château Olivier after a long period of leasing, and appointed Laurent Lebrun Managing Director in 2002. In 2021, Éléonore de Bethmann succeeded her brother Alexandre, marking a new stage for this family that has owned the estate for more than 136 years.
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- pedestrian path
- Visit and tasting of the local production
