In the 1980s, he returned to his true passion, acquiring his first Cru Classé, Château Pape Clément, the first of what would become four prestigious Grands Crus Classés and 42 vineyards across 9 countries.

The first harvests were carried out at Château Fombrauge in 1599. The estate has gone through many changes since, most notably in its name. The origin of the name "Fombrauge" comes from the old Occitan term "fons brogiera", which translates to "spring surrounded by heather and bushes," spelled interchangeably as "Fontbrauge" or "Fonbrauge" until the 19th century, when "Fombrauge" was formalized.

In the mid-19th century, the estate was taken over by the "Tafford Saint-Germain" family, who continued to develop the wine-growing capabilities of the château. They became notably involved with the Saint-Émilion Wine Committee, where they pushed for recognition of the quality of their wines, being awarded a gold medal at the 1867 World's Fair. In celebration, a new wine cellar was built next to the old one using the new techniques of the time.

Finally, in 1999, Bernard Magrez bought the estate and gave it new life. He made the necessary improvements to the property, using his expertise to restructure the vineyard and the layout of the cellars. He improved the quality of the reception areas by restoring the charterhouse and gardens on the property, raising Château Fombrauge to the highest level of quality. His efforts were recognized in 2012 when Château Fombrauge entered the classification of Saint-Émilion wines by being promoted to Grand Cru Classé.

BERNARD MAGREZ  -  CHATEAU PAPE CLEMENT  -  CLOS HAUT-PEYRAGUEY  -  CHATEAU LA TOUR CARNET