Chateau Ferriere, Margaux (Best Grand Cru Classe Wines 2024, Terroir)

by Hunter Robillard

Situated at the heart of the Margaux village is the lesser-known classified growth, Chateau Ferriere.

It boasts a stunning terroir and was classified as a Third Growth (Troisièmes Cru) in the 1855 classification of Medoc, Bordeaux.

For several years, the wines were vinified at the renowned Chateau Lascombes, but very few were able to experience the beauty of these Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant wines.

Chateau Ferriere has changed drastically over the years, with the vineyard growing from 8-24 hectares. While it is no longer the smallest classified estate in the appellation, the winery is still unknown to some wine lovers.

In this article, we look at the tasting notes and prices of some of the stunning vintages from Chateau Ferriere. We also look at the Chateau Ferriere vineyard, winemaking techniques, its history, and whether these wines are a great investment choice.

8 Spectacular Chateau Ferriere Wines

Here are some spectacular wines produced by Chateau Ferriere:

1993 Chateau Ferriere
2002 Chateau Ferriere
1986 Chateau Ferriere
2000 Chateau Ferriere
1995 Chateau Ferriere
2015 Chateau Ferriere 'Les Remparts de Ferriere'
2015 Chateau Ferriere 'La Dame de Ferriere'
2016 Chateau Ferriere 'Les Remparts de Ferriere'

1. 1993 Chateau Ferriere, Margaux, France ($239)

This red wine has a delicate nose of dried rose petals, cherry fruit, spices, and licorice. It has a juicy palate ripe with cherries, fresh acidity, and a fine tannin level.

2. 2002 Chateau Ferriere, Margaux, France ($108)

This superior Margaux wine has a closed nose. However, the palate is chewy and full-bodied with a good concentration, acidity, and firm tannins.

3. 1986 Chateau Ferriere, Margaux, France ($93)

This elegant and concentrated wine has a floral aroma, and the heavy tannins are well-integrated. This wine is well-structured and has an excellent finish.

4. 2000 Chateau Ferriere, Margaux, France ($86)

This ruby-garnet wine has a mature bouquet of sweet berry jam, red fruit, and nougat. This wine has a medium body on the palate and offers up sweet cherry notes.

5. 1995 Chateau Ferriere, Margaux, France ($85)

This wine has a deep purple color and aromas of licorice, jammy black fruits, and sweet toasty oak notes. The palate has tasting notes of ripe fruit, which leads to heavy tannins and an astringent finish.

6. 2015 Chateau Ferriere 'Les Remparts de Ferriere', Margaux, France ($60)

This second wine from Chateau Ferriere has an elegant nose of blueberries, dark chocolate, licorice, fresh violets, blackcurrant, and cigar box. The palate has good depth and reflects the aromas from start to finish.

7. 2015 Chateau Ferriere 'La Dame de Ferriere', Margaux, France ($49)

This wine has a complex nose of fresh fruit, spices, and floral notes. The tannins of this red wine are round and polished, and it has a nice balance of freshness and fruitiness on the palate.

8. 2016 Chateau Ferriere 'Les Remparts de Ferriere', Margaux, France ($40)

This wine has profound notes of ripe fruits, grilled meats, fennel, and toasted licorice. This great second wine has a fruity palate for a Bordeaux wine, and it has an elegant and fresh finish.

How should you serve and pair wines from Chateau Ferriere?

Serve your wine from Chateau Ferriere at 60oF (15.5oC) to enjoy its finesse and elegance.

These wines can be enjoyed young with and with an hour or two of decanting time. Older vintages require little decanting to remove the sediment.

These gorgeous Bordeaux wines pair well with all kinds of meat dishes. It also pairs well with hearty fish courses, Asian dishes, pasta, cheese, and mushrooms.

These wines make the perfect addition to a dinner with friends - would they be a good investment choice?

Should You Invest In Chateau Ferriere Wines

Chateau Ferriere wines age gracefully for at least 7-8 years in the bottle, depending on the vintage. In comparison, the best vintages can reach their peak maturity after 10-20 years.

Some vintages from Chateau Ferriere enjoy good appreciation in value. The 1993 vintage appreciated 269% from $39 to $144 from 2020 to 2021, while the 2002 vintage increased 142% ($43-$104.)

And, if you are looking for the best vintage, keep an eye out for 2005, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2020 vintages.

Owing to the small size of this Chateau, not many vintages are readily available on the market for wine enthusiasts to experience.

How can you get to experience the greatness of the wines from this Margaux appellation?

You should get the help of a trusted wine investment company like Vinovest.

Vinovest helps wine enthusiasts build high-performing wine investment portfolios ofcollectible fine wines from around the world.

Let’s also look at how these magnificent wines are made.

The Magnificent Terroir And Winemaking Techniques

The Chateau vineyard enjoys a spectacular terroir of deep gravel above limestone marl, chalk, and sand in the soil.

The vine density is typical of the Left Bank region of 10,000 vines per hectare. The vineyard is also home to old vines that were planted in 1952.

The vineyard has changed in size and its plantings over the years. Cabernet Sauvignon vines were close to 80% in the early years with no Cabernet Franc.

Today the 24-hectare vineyard is planted with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc.

In 2015, Chateau Ferriere’s farming techniques were certified as 100% organic, and in 2018, the Chateau wines were certified as biodynamic.

Vinification for the blends of Chateau Ferriere occurs in traditional, temperature-controlled cement tanks and wooden vats for around 20 days.

Malolactic fermentation occurs in a tank and barrel, and aging occurs for 18 months in 20% new French oak barrels.

Let's take a look at how this magnificent estate came into existence.

A Brief History Of Chateau Ferriere

Following Bordeaux tradition, Chateau Ferriere gets its name from its founding family.

This third growth was named after its founder, Gabriel Ferriere (a royal in the king’s hunts), in the 18th century. The estate remained in the Ferriere family until 1914, where they sold it to the owner of Chateau Marquis de Terme.

During the 1950s, Alexis Lichine, known for Chateau Prieure Lichine and Chateau Lascombes, leased the Ferriere vineyards to produce and sell his wines.

At the end of the 20th century, Chateau Ferriere was sold to Jacques Merlaut who owned Chateau Chasse Spleen, Chateau Haut Bages Liberal, and Chateau Gruaud Larose.

Merlaut’s daughter, Bernadette Villars, took over the management of Chateau Ferriere. After Bernadette’s passing, her daughter, Claire Villars, took control of the Bordeaux chateaux under the Villars family name.