History

The history …

In the middle of the Middle Ages, La Couspaude was called " The cross Paute ". This name comes to him of the cross which is near its entrance West. It is about one of the numerous crosses which follow the way which made the pilgrims when they go to Santiago de Compostela. Indeed, the monolithic church of Saint-Emilion was an important stage on their road.

The Cross Paute was a part of the seigneury of Condat and Barbanne. Originally, it was a property of King of England, who was also in the time Duke d' Aquitaine. It is at the end of the Hundred Years' War, that it became the property of King of France.
During the 16éme and the 17éme century, The Cross Paute was administered by the Jurade de Libourne. Until then there is no proof of the presence of vineyards on the exploitation.

It is in 1739, that for the first time, a bill of sale gives evidence of a vineyard in The Cross Paute. Then from the 18éme to the 19éme century, the property is not going to stop changing owner.
In 1908, Jean-Prosper Robin, owner of the Château Sansonnet, buys the nearby property, La Couspaude, and gives it immediately to his son André-Marcel. The succession of economic crises and the wars, did not allow the castle to find its potential of formerly. The efforts of the family rather turned to the Château Sansonnet, who with a stable production and its commercial success, allowed to cross this difficult time.

The situation of the Château La Couspaude will remain unchanged until 1963. This year, the girl of André-Marcel, Edith Robin inherits from the vineyard. Helped by her husband, Etienne Aubert, of producers' family of wine for more than two centuries, then later by his children, Alain, Daniel and Jean-Claude, it starts a new era for the Château La Couspaude. Today Vanessa, Héloïse and Yohan join their fathers and immortalize this beautiful story of family.

The revival …

When the Aubert family enters in possession of the Château La Couspaude in 1963, all the problems, which accumulated during the years, are reflected in the state of the property. The vineyard presents many missing feet and buildings are in a very bad state, the main handicap being the absence of wine storehouse on the very property.

The renovation of Couspaude is going to take place in two phases. First of all, it is the vineyard which is considered as the most urgent. A program of replanting is thus launched from 1963, affecting 80 % of the vineyard. However, east of the exploitation, a part of vines are preserved (they have approximately a century nowadays).

The second phase will engage only from the beginning of the 80s, led by three brothers Aubert. They renewed themselves buildings, by means of a small team. The quite equipped wine storehouse was finished in 1985. But so remarkable, the property presents a magnificent cellar in the calcareous rock and a reception hall built around a wall supported by three arcs.
The work made by the family Aubert is rewarded in 1996,  La Couspaude being then promoted Grand Cru Classé in the new classification of wines of Saint-Emilion.