Inside a picturesque chateau in southwest France, discover the home of the unforgettable handcrafted Gensac wine and Armagnac.
Close your eyes and picture this setting. In the deepest depths of picturesque southwest France, on the verdant crest of a hill, lies a 13th-century chateau surrounded by grazing horses and sweeping stretches of vineyards. Welcome to Château De Gensac.
Taken over by owner Jan Schuermann and his wife Kim three years ago, the pair have been spearheading opportunities to further cultivate wine in the region, as well as the Armagnac – France’s oldest and most traditional spirit. Think French oak barrels, where the refined Armagnacs mature steadily, making for a unique and distinctive product.
“My godfather took over the Château 20 years ago with the aim of breeding horses and producing hand-crafted wines and Armagnacs,” explains Schuermann. “It was a labour of love really, a project that he spent a lot of time and money on in an area that isn’t well known for wine making.”
And when it comes to the full-bodied wine offering, all grapes for the top wines at Gensac are hand-picked to ensure that only premium ingredients go into the product.
Plus, the 13th-century history of the Château has very much been taken into account, with a devotion to combining tradition with an accessible but luxurious modernity.
“We both believe in combining tradition with modernity,” adds Schuermann. “The importance of networking and partnerships will be at the heart of our success. We want to be interactive, playful and experiential where we feel wine, as an industry, has not been so forthcoming in the past.”
A goal of the pair is to build their global presence; the business predominantly sells wines and Armagnacs across Europe, but has recently added the US, Canada and Hong Kong to its reach.
