Situated on the heights that separate the communes of Tresses and Artigues, 5 km east of Bordeaux, the Senailhac estate was originally a feudal mound. In ancient titles it is known as the “Motte de Tresses”. The mound was no doubt a look-out tower protecting Bordeaux. The château is built on a rise in the middle of its land. The buildings that form the château’s inner courtyard date back to the 16th or 17th centuries, while the façade was rebuilt in around 1845. The château has been dedicated to wine-growing from the very beginning. In the 18th century, the house belonged to the de Senailhac family, who gave it their name. In 1740, Jacques de Senailhac was a prestigious lord and faithful servant of Louis XV, who rewarded him with the post of councillor of the “Cour des Aides”, an appeal court that judged financial matters. The de Senailhac name died out with his grand-daughter, Marguerite. The estate remained in the family until the mid-19th century and was then sold several times over. In 1918, the Margnat family, who were merchants from Marseille, bought the château and owned it until it was bought by Grands Vins de Gironde in 2002. Domaine de Senailhac became a subsidiary of the group under the name “Société Civile Agricole Château Senailhac”.

The estate extends over 100 adjoining hectares, 60 of which are planted with red grape varieties: 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 8% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot. The soils are “boulbènes”, consisting of silt and clay: they are deep, giving the vines an ideal water supply. The vines are grown in the traditional way, using “enlightened” methods of protection against disease. They have qualified for the “Agriculture Raisonnée” label, which means that they are not treated automatically; the decision to spray is taken after a risk evaluation out in the vineyard. The action taken is therefore curative rather than preventive.
The two vinification cellars contain temperature-controlled stainless steel vats with a storage capacity of 6000 hl, and the grapes go through a rigorous process of parcel selection before they are put in the vat. After the maceration and fermentation stages, the wine is put in barrels for 6 to 15 months. It is then bottled at the château approximately two years after the harvest.