History of Les Conseillans / La Suite aux Conseillans

The history of today's La Suite aux Conseillans winery stretches back several centuries and reflects the development of the Bordeaux region, its crises, and its transition to modernity. Some sources even date the first agricultural use of the land back to the 17th century. The famous Carte de Belleyme (1760–1775) already shows the Panissaut and La Lande estates – cartographic evidence of the property's early existence.

The beginnings in the 18th century

The oldest documentary evidence dates back to the first half of the 18th century.
In 1738, Pierre Daban-Broca, a citizen of Bordeaux, acquired the Panissaut estate from André Chassériau. In 1749, he also purchased the neighboring Métairie de la Lande from Antoine Croizier. In 1750, a member of the Gérard Daniel family, Seigneur de Lamothe et Manocq, briefly reacquired the estate through a retrait lignager – a transaction that demonstrates the high regard in which the property was held even then. In 1751, La Lande returned to Daban-Broca, thus reuniting Panissaut and La Lande – an estate whose core boundaries remain largely unchanged to this day.
There is hardly any mention of viticulture in the early records; historians suspect the first significant plantings took place between 1751 and 1778. Pierre Daban-Broca was probably active as procureur général at the Cour de Bordeaux – an indication of his position in the city's bourgeois elite.

From Panissot to Aux Conseillans – name evolution

Until the 19th century, the estate was traditionally called Panissot (also Panissaut or Panissant). It still appears under this name, for example, in marriage records of the Suduiraut family. At the same time, the administration had already been using the designation Domaine de Conseillans (Section A1, parcelle 116) since the Napoleonic land register of 1813.
For a time, both names existed side by side: "Panissot" in the parlance of the owners, "Conseillans" in the official registers. It was only in the course of the 19th century that the current name "Conseillans" finally became established – in parallel with the professionalization of winemaking and the growing importance of the estate.

The transition to the 19th century

At the beginning of the 19th century, the property took on the form that is still characteristic today.
Around 1803, Jacques Daban-Broca, son of Pierre, began construction of the present manor house. The château was built in the Directoire style, using stones from Frontenac. Archaeological evidence suggests that the "new" château was not built on pristine ground, but rather on the ruins of an older house, of which the historic staircase, in particular, has been preserved. This means that the site's architectural history extends even further back than written records would suggest.
In 1808, the "domaine de Panissant," including the vineyard, wine press, and vatroom, was first mentioned in a purchase agreement – ​​thus providing the estate's legal "birth certificate" as a genuine winery. In the Napoleonic land register of 1813, it already appears as Domaine de Conseillans.

Ownership consequences and crises in the 19th century

In the 19th century, the estate changed hands several times: first to the Gabet family, then to the Montero family, before being acquired in 1897 by the Guillot de Suduiraut family. This family was already closely associated with Bordeaux winemaking through Château Suduiraut in Sauternes.

The size of the domaine varied considerably:

• In 1872 it comprised approximately 47 hectares,

• In 1896, after the devastating phylloxera crisis, only 2.5 hectares of vines remained.

This dramatic shrinkage exemplifies how hard the phylloxera epidemic hit Bordeaux.

Jean Ribéreau-Gayon and the dawn of modernity

In 1937, the total area was still listed as 6.6 hectares, of which less than 0.1 hectares were planted with vines. In 1938, the renowned oenologist Jean Ribéreau-Gayon acquired the estate. Here he established his experimental cellar and a laboratory. He is considered the father of modern oenology – many methods that are now taken for granted were tested and further developed in Conseillans. This made the estate a center of scientific pioneering work.

Protection and change in the 20th century

In 1975, the estate was designated a "site classé" – a rare distinction recognizing its scenic and ecological importance. In the late 1970s, Serge and Sylvia Ruiz took over the estate and managed it with passion; the 2005 vintage, in particular, attracted attention and showcased the terroir's potential.

Modern Era: Revival and Expansion

In 2011, Bruce Jackson and Irina Krasovskaya purchased the Château. They invested extensively in the renovation of the château, the renewal of the vineyards, and modern cellar technology. Today, the estate encompasses approximately 20 hectares – a harmonious mosaic of vineyards, meadows, and woods – and continues its history as La Suite aux Conseillans.