Château Crabitey

This 19th-century Graves property produces value-for-money wines that showcase Bordeaux’s characteristic gravel minerality.

Château Crabitey is situated south of Bordeaux in the municipality of Portets. Its history is closely intertwined with that of the local Franciscan order, whose nuns built the château in 1872 and used it as an orphanage. The nuns quickly planted vines in order to fund the children in their care. 

Modernising to improve quality

Over 100 years later, the sisters entrusted the estate to Jean-Ralph de Butler, an agronomist who proceeded to optimise the existing vineyard holdings, plant new vines, modernise the winemaking facilities and build the necessary cellar space. Arnaud de Butler succeeded his father in 1999, with aim of further improving the quality of the wine. He and his wife eventually purchased the estate in 2008. The couple attach great importance to preserving the sense of tradition and history that pervades the estate, but making judicious improvements along the way.

Finely structured Bordeaux

Château Crabitey now comprises 31 hectares of vineyard, situated on the heat-absorbing Garonne gravel for which the Graves appellation is known. The wines, both red and white, are suitably mineral, pure and fine.