Chateau la Tour Blanche
Chateau La Tour Blance, following in the tradition of the times, takes its name from the founder of the estate, Jean Saint Marc du Latourblanche. Skipping ahead about 100 years, give or take, the next important chapter in the history of Chateau La Tour Blanche takes place during the 1855 Classification of Bordeaux wine.
In fact, in those days, the estate was one of the most respected in the Sauternes appellation, not that far behind Chateau d'Yquem! At the time, the estate was the property of a German citizen, Frederic Focke.
Frederic Focke is known for trying to take credit for introducing the concept of making sweet wines that had been infected by noble rot, better known as botrytis in Sauternes. Of course that is not correct as the region has a long history of producing sweet wine that dates back to at least the mid to early 1700's.
The modern era of Chateau La Tour Blanche really begins thanks to Daniel Osiris Iffla. Daniel Osiris Iffla gifted the chateau and vineyard to the French Government with the condition that a Bordeaux Wine School be created on the Sauternes property.
In 1909, The Ministry of Agriculture finally agreed and created the La Tour Blanche School of Viticulture and Enology. Construction was completed two years later in 1911. To commemorate this gift, the name of Osiris is still seen on the label of Chateau La Tour Blanche which states “Donation Osiris”.
Despite its unusual status, Chateau La Tour Blanche is run by people experienced in the Bordeaux wine business.
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