The Origin
The creation of the estate dates back to the end of the eighteenth century with the purchase of the first land and vines, between the Rivallon and the road to Castillon, by Mr. Jean Cantenat – winemaker and cooper. In 1832, the “Cantenat” estate was acquired by Pierre-Emmanuel Despujol with 3ha53a of vineyard and land. The name of the location then appears in the land registry under the name of “Cantenac”. It was Oscar and Jeanne-Marthe Despujol who built the emblematic building of the estate at the end of the nineteenth century. The Despujol family was established in the Bordeaux wine trade and vineyards, including the Tambourlan-Canon estate in Génissac. In 1933, Mr. Ernest and Mrs. Rose-Augustine Marache (born WEISS) acquired the Cantenac estate, but they resold the property in 1937 to refocus on their activity in the capital. Mr. Marache, originally from the Nièvre, had a flourishing business in seeds, fruits and vegetables in Paris.
The Roskam-Brunot family: owners of Château Cantenac since 1937
It was Albert Brunot who acquired the Domaine de Cantenac in 1937, with a vineyard of 7ha60a, following in his father’s footsteps. Jean-Baptiste Brunot, originally from Corrèze, is the pioneer of the family and was invested in the wine trade, before becoming the owner of Château l’Hermitage de Mazerat in St-Emilion in 1922. Albert Brunot was responsible for the production and distribution of both estates. In 1970, he embarked on the acquisition of Château Tour de Grenet in 1970 (Lussac), whose tower, mill and vineyard are anchored on a vast limestone plateau. Then, his children, Jean Baptiste Brunot and Nicole Roskam-Brunot continued their family’s passion for wine.
Since 1997, Nicole Roskam-Brunot, dynamic, driven and a visionary, has dedicated herself to elevate Château Cantenac and Château Moulin de Grenet in all aspects – through the creation of new wines, the expansion of the vineyard, the pursuit of quality with advice, the development of international distribution and wine tourism, in particular. Nicole Roskam-Brunot became a Jurat (official member of the brotherhood of wine) of Saint-Emilion in 2001, a mark of her investment in her appellation and her territory. Shortly afterwards, her sons and daughters-in-law joined her at the estate.
In 2020, Nicole Roskam-Brunot handed over the reins of Château Cantenac & Château Moulin de Grenet to the 4th generation to continue writing this beautiful family story !
