Establishment of Rabotvins by Emile de Schepper and Ghislaine de Moor

Emile and Ghislaine started out making genever and liqueurs. Ten years later, they decided to import and distribute a range of French wines.

Acquisition of Château Tour Baladaoz

A letter dated 26 April 1950, sent from Libourne by Emile De Schepper to his wife in Ghent, tells us that the following day the estate known as Château La Tour Baladoz was to change hands and become their first wine-producing château. The estate, situated in Saint-Laurent des Combes within the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru appellation, comprises a manor house, a winegrower’s cottage, a wine storehouse, a vat house, vineyards (5 hectares 56 ares) and quarries.

Busy with the commercial development of his Belgian company, Emile De Schepper entrusted the management of Château Tour Baladoz to a Bordeaux estate manager. The wine was exported to Belgium exclusively in barrels, to be bottled in Ghent at the Rabotvins commercial cellars.

Acquisition of the Château Haut Breton Larigaudière

Château Haut Breton Larigaudière, in the Margaux AOC, is situated in Soussans. It has been listed under the name ‘Larigaudière’ amongst the châteaux of Soussans since 1838 (ref. Le Producteur) and amongst the Premiers Crus Bourgeois Supérieurs since 1886. The new owners are enthusiastically embarking on the restoration of the estate, which comprises 2 hectares of vineyards, a 1-hectare park, a château and a complex of farm buildings.

G. De Mour & Sons Foundation

Emile’s two sons, Firmin and Jacques De Schepper, joined their parents at the helm of the businesses in Belgium and Bordeaux and gradually took over the reins. They steered the company in Belgium towards specialising in wines and aperitifs.

Whilst Jacques focused primarily on financial management, Firmin oversaw the estates and the wine trade. He divided his time between Belgium and Soussans. His presence in the Bordeaux region became increasingly frequent, and the family estates continued to grow in quality and reputation. To manage the distribution of the wines, the company G. De Mour et fils was founded. Its name derives from the surname of Emile De Schepper’s wife.

Takeover of Château Tayet

In early 1992, Marc Raymond, the estate manager at Château Haut Breton Largaudière, decided to retire. From then on, Château Tayet, his estate in Macau within the Bordeaux Supérieur appellation, became the third wine estate run by the De Schepper family.

Jean-Michel Garcion

After studying wine in Nantes and Mâcon, this enthusiastic professional broadened his knowledge by working in some of the world’s finest vineyards. With his characteristic open-mindedness and wealth of experience, he has taken over the management of the estates and the wine merchant business in Bordeaux under Jacques’s guidance.

Investing in quality is the two men’s motto.

Jean-Michel is fully committed to his new responsibilities. He is responsible for improving the overall quality of the family’s wines and for building a broad portfolio of wines for the wine merchant market.

Acquisition of Château La Croizille

Situated next to Château Tour Baladoz, the Château La Croizille vineyard is a true gem, thanks to the exceptional quality of its terroir and its rugged terrain. A historic estate in the commune of Saint-Laurent-des-Combes, once owned by prominent Bordeaux families and wine merchants, it lies between Châteaux Troplong Mondot and Tertre Roteboeuf. 

Acquisition of Château Lacombe Cadiot

The family has acquired its fifth estate, located in Ludon within the Bordeaux Supérieur appellation. The total area of vineyards cultivated by the De Schepper family now stands at 55 hectares.