Chinese winery owner buys majority stake in Saint Emilion's Chateau Trianon

A Chinese winery owner has acquired a majority stake in Chateau Trianon in Saint Emilion, marking the latest example of Asia-based investors seeking a foothold in Bordeaux.

An Enda, who owns Chateau Kinschab and Jin Sha Winery in Inner Mongolia, has acquired a controlling stake in Chateau Trianon from Dominique Hebrard and his two business partners, Alain Laguillaumie and Jacques Berrebi.

Hebrard is understood to retain a stake in Trianon and will remain at the estate as co-owner.

Separately, Hong Kong-based French hotelier Marc Castagnet has bought a minority stake in Trianon and he plans to develop a luxury hotel there. Architect Yves Collet, who worked on the Sources de Caudalie spa hotel in Pessac Leognan, has already been recruited.

The number of Asia-based buyers of Bordeaux estates has grown strongly in recent years and An Enda's deal for Trianon adds evidence to a feeling among several Bordeaux estate agents that interest will continue to rise.

Hebrard already works as a consultant for Enda in China. He is also a former co-owner of Chateau Bellefont-Belcier, which was sold to a Chinese company, Juxin Wine & Spirits, in November 2012.

Together, Hebrard, Enda and Castagnet will work to get Trianon promoted to Grand Cru Classe status in the next Saint Emilion classification review.

Explaining the Trianon deal, Hebrard told Decanter.com, 'I bought Chateau Trianon on my own in 2000, but when I joined together with two partners for the purchase of Bellefont-Belcier in 2002, they also took shares in Trianon.

'As of 2012, when we sold Bellefont-Belcier, my associates [Laguillaumie and Berrebi] wanted to divest their shares in Trianon also. This new arrangement allows them to be bought out, while still retaining my own interest in the property.’