Château Vieux Mougnac: organic wines in the cellar of the Élysée Palace

Meet Sylvie Bessard-Milhard and her son Jérémie, who represent the 4th and 5th generations of winemakers in their family.

Available directly from the estate on Avenue des Vins.

How did the family's organic winemaking story begin?

I Was Once Seen as a Hippie for Making Organic Wine!

At Château Vieux Mougnac, everything is a family affair. It all began in 1870 when Félix and Élisabeth Milhard purchased a building near Saint-Émilion and decided to plant vineyards around it. A century later, Yves and Maria Milhard took over the family estate and introduced a major change: winemaking on-site. It was under their guidance that their daughter Sylvie learned the trade.

When I took over the estate in 1991 with my husband Michel, my parents were already cultivating the vines organically. My father used to say he didn’t want to poison his customers with pesticides marked with skulls. As a young person, I thought his approach was a bit old-fashioned and not cost-effective, but I eventually realized it was a skill that would disappear if I didn’t carry it on. So, I continued this tradition,

says Sylvie.

Since then, organic practices have become second nature at Château Vieux Mougnac.

Back then, people thought I was a hippie, but now we’re rolling out the red carpet!

Sylvie reflects, both surprised and amused. Her son Jérémie, who now manages the estate with his sister Laetitia and describes himself as a “farmer-winemaker,” supports these methods. In 2012, Château Vieux Mougnac received organic certification. Despite this forward-thinking stance, Jérémie remains deeply respectful of traditions. He even uses ancestral techniques, such as plowing with horses.

What kind of wines does the estate produce?

Rare, Unique, and Authentic Wines

Located 50 kilometers from Bordeaux and ten kilometers from Saint-Émilion, the Château Vieux Mougnac vineyard spans 10 hectares of 45-year-old vines planted on loamy-clay-sandy soil. The estate offers a diverse range of wines, including sweet white, dry white, rosé, and red wines produced under the Bordeaux Supérieur appellation.

We don’t produce technological wines but unique, rare, and authentic wines that are unfiltered,

Sylvie proudly asserts. Over the years, Château Vieux Mougnac’s wines have risen to a premium level, with several even making their way to the exclusive Cave de l’Élysée!

What is the next project for the estate?

Thematic Lodging Opening in 2017

Aiming to attract an international clientele, the Milhard family organizes wine tourism events throughout the year: yoga in the vineyards, themed dinners, concerts, art exhibitions, painting workshops, and more. Laetitia, who manages her own wine tourism business in parallel, actively contributes to the development of these activities. Currently, Château Vieux Mougnac is working on a themed lodging project in collaboration with foreign travel agencies.

The idea is to offer visitors the chance to rent lodges with spas on the estate and provide a comprehensive program during their stay. This includes tasting dinners with the winemakers, estate tours, exploring Bordeaux, and more,

Sylvie explains. The lodges are expected to open in 2017…

Discover the wines of Château Vieux Mougnac directly from the estate, at the estate price, in a short supply chain on Avenue des Vins.

Frequently asked questions about Château Vieux Mougnac

Which appellation do Château Vieux Mougnac wines belong to?

The estate bottles under the Bordeaux Supérieur appellation. Its range spans several styles: a sweet white, a dry white, a rosé and a red, all made without filtration.

Are Château Vieux Mougnac wines certified organic?

Yes. The estate earned organic certification in 2012, though the family had already been farming the vines without synthetic treatments for earlier generations.

Where is Château Vieux Mougnac located?

The vineyard lies in the Gironde, about ten kilometres from Saint-Émilion and roughly fifty from the city of Bordeaux. It covers ten hectares.

Why did Château Vieux Mougnac wines reach the Élysée?

Their unfiltered character and consistency lifted them into a premium tier. Several cuvées went on to join the French presidential selection.

How are the vines at Château Vieux Mougnac tended?

The estate pairs organic certification with old-school gestures such as ploughing by horse. The vines, over forty years old, grow on a mix of loam, clay and sand.