Château de Malle

Château de Malle is a sweet white wine ranked as Second Cru Classé (French, "Second Growth") in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. Belonging to the Sauternes appellation in Gironde, in the region of Graves, the winery is located in the commune of Sauternes. The gardens of the chateau are classified among the Notable Gardens of France by the Committee of Parks and Gardens of the French Ministry of Culture.

The gardens of the château were created between 1717 and 1724 by Alexandre Eutrope de Lur Saluces. They were inspired by the gardens that he saw in Florence during his grand tour of Italy and his time spent at the court in Versailles. The park has a wide central axis and two terraces, with groups of statues and vases. The statues were done by Italian artists brought there for that purpose in the early part of the 18th century, and represent figures from Greek mythology: Cephalus, Aurora, Cupid, Aphrodite (Venus), Adonis, and Flora, the goddess of flowers and gardens. Other statues represent wine-making, the joys of the hunt and fishing, wine and intoxication. To the east of the first terrace is a small theater, decorated with figures from the Italian commedia dell'arte: Pantalone, Scaramouche and Harlequin. A stairway leads to a second terrace, where there are statues symbolizing of earth, wind, air and fire. The estate has, over the centuries, known numerous trials and tribulations. Both good and bad fortune. The Château was not inhabited regularly for practically two generations. In the early fifties Pierre de Bournazel took over the property inherited from his uncle and godfather, Pierre de Lur-Saluces. He was a man possessed by a love of the land and of stone and he decided to re-instil life into the buildings and vineyards which undeniably were in a state of considerable neglect. He rebuilt the fermentation cellar, studied estate management, followed a course in oenology and together, with the help of his wife, made it a point of honour to re-establish the initial shape and form of the rooms of the Château whilst retaining their original appearance.

...
Wikipedia