DAVID LUDOVIC transforms CHATEAU MARQUIS de TERME 'S Wines and Gains World RECOGNITION by Philip S. Kampe

Let's face it, the wines from Margaux's CHATEAU MARQUIS de TERME have been in the market for hundreds of years.

The history of Chateau Marquis de Terme is like a boat ride in unsettled waters.
+ The GASSIES were allies to the SEIGNEUR de MARGAUX and owned the land during the Middle Ages.
+ The land was passed on to BERNARD de FAVEROLLES before it was acquired by PIERRE des MESURES de RAUZAN on September 7th, 1661.
+ Seventy acres of vineyards were used as a dowry for the marriage of ELIZABETH de LEDOULX d'EMPLET to the MARQUIS de TERME.
+ The wines developed a good reputation under MARQUIS de TERME and the property and wines came to the attention of THOMAS JEFFERSON in 1787.
+ Following the death of MARQUIS de TERME in 1809, the land was bought by a Swedidh negociant, HALVOROUS SOLLBERG. He ran up considerable debt and fled the country in 1834.
+ MAC-DANIEL, also a negociant, acquired the land and produced wines with SOLLBERG'S wife and family until 1845 when SOLLBERG returned and paid off his debts.
+ HALVOROUS SOLLBERG owned the vineyard, once again. His son, OSCAR SOLLBERG took the helm and in 1886 OSCAR was forced to sell the vineyard due to financial difficulties.
+ In 1886 the land was acquired by FREDERIC ESCHENHAUER, a negociant.
+ In 1898 the land was sold to JEAN FEUILLERAT who ran the vineyard and passed it on to his son, ARMAND. The estate was run by ARMAND until his death in 1935.
+ In 1935 the estate was sold to PIERRE SENECLAUZE, a wine merchant from Marseilles.

Today the estate is run by PIERRE SENECLAUZE's son PIERRE-LOUIS.
The vineyard at MARQUIS de TERME is 100 acres in size and is made up mostly of gravel-soil over clay. The vines average 30 years and are made up of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon,35% Merlot,7% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. All vines are hand-harvested. Production is 180,000 bottles.

In 2009 PIERRE_LOUIS hired DAVID LUDOVIC as Director General of the estate after learning of his NINE year success at CHATEAU BONALGUE/CLOS du CLOCHER in Pomeral and FIVE year Technical Director position at BERNARD MAGREZ GRANDS VIGNOBLES in Bordeaux.

DAVID LUDOVIC'S main goal is to give the Chateau the RECOGNITION it deserves. He has total freedom to use modern techniques coupled with his technical experience to change the basics at the winery. He has begun to let grapes mature longer on the vines and reduce their yields. He has greater control in the winemaking process.

At a recent vertical tasting (1999-2009) at BOBO'S in New York, DAVID LUDOVIC made his statement. The wines under his supervision taste like the wines from MARGAUX that we dream about.

"This is only his beginning" as noted by Pamela Wittmann.

The MARQUIS de TERME 2009 and 2010 have taken off with positive reviews from Wine Spectator 92-95; Robert Parker 91; Neal Martin 91-93 and L'EXPRESS 18/20.

This is the time to think about CHATEAU MARQUIS de TERME in a positive light.
DAVID LUDOVIC has arrived!

PHILIP S. KAMPE
philip.kampe@thewinehub.com