LAMÉ-DELISLE-BOUCARD, France

From the beginning, it has remained a true family venture. Pierre’s son-in-law, Jules Lamé, played a pioneering role after the phylloxera crisis by grafting Vitis vinifera vines onto American rootstock—an innovation that helped safeguard the future of the vineyard. Originally, the estate’s wines were sold in bulk to local négociants, but the exceptional quality of the 1947 vintage inspired the family to begin bottling under their own label. Over five generations, unlike many French domaines affected by Napoleonic inheritance laws, Lamé-Delisle-Boucard has remained intact and steadily grown to its current size of 44 hectares.

Viticulture

The vineyards span a rich variety of soil types, with an average vine age of 35 to 40 years. Cabernet Franc makes up 85% of the plantings, with the remaining 15% dedicated to Cabernet Sauvignon.

Winemaking

Now led by fifth-generation siblings Philippe and Stéphanie Boucard, the estate is renowned for producing exceptional, long-lived red wines—carefully aged in their historic Tuffeau stone cellars beneath the winery. Stéphanie Boucard, an oenologist, works both in the vineyard and in the laboratory to analyse the grapes, must, and wine.