EMILE DE SCHEPPER AND GHISLAINE DE MOOR FOUNDED THE RABOTVINS COMPANY IN GHENT, BELGIUM.

The couple started out producing Dutch gin and liqueurs. Ten years later, they decided to import and distribute a range of French wines.

ACQUISITION OF CHÂTEAU TOUR BALADOZ

A letter dated 26 April 1950, sent from Libourne by Emile De Schepper to his wife in Ghent, explains how he was going to purchase Château La Tour Baladoz, their first winegrowing château. The estate, a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru located in Saint-Laurent des Combes, comprises a manor house, vineyard worker house, ageing cellar, vat room, 5.56 hectares of vineyards, and quarries.

As Emile De Schepper only visited the estate 3 or 4 times per year, he entrusted the management of Château Tour Baladoz to an estate manager from Bordeaux. The wine was exported to Belgium exclusively in barrel and bottled in Rabotvins' commercial wine cellars in Ghent.

ACQUISITION OF CHÂTEAU HAUT BRETON LARIGAUDIÈRE

Château Haut Breton Larigaudière is located in Soussans in the Margaux appellation. It was classified as a Premier Cru Bourgeois Supérieur in 1886. The new owners enthusiastically set to work renovating the estate's 2-hectare vineyard, 1 hectare of grounds, a château and outbuildings.

G.DE MOUR ET FILS FOUNDED

Emile's two sons, Firmin and Jacques De Schepper, helped manage the companies in Belgium and Bordeaux before gradually taking control and steering the Belgian firm towards specialising in wines and aperitifs.

Jacques took care of the financial side, while Firmin was in charge of the estates and négociant firm. Firmin divided his time between Belgium and Soussans. He began to spend more time in Bordeaux and the family estates continued to enhance the quality of their wines and reputation. G. De Mour et fils was founded to manage wine distribution and was named after Emile De Schepper's wife.

Jacques De Schepper

Unfortunately, Firmin was unable to fulfil all of his projects. He died during a Brussels-Bordeaux flight on 21 December 1987.

From that moment on, Jacques De Schepper was confronted with a whole new set of responsibilities. He worked closely with a well-established team and took on the entire management of Rabotvins in Belgium for several years, as well as the Bordeaux wine estates and De Mour négociant firm.

PURCHASE OF CHÂTEAU TAYET

In 1992, Marc Raymond, the manager of Château Haut Breton Largaudière, decided to retire. Alongside their other two estates, the De Schepper family took over the management of his estate, Château Tayet, a Bordeaux Supérieur, located in Macau.

Jean-Michel Garcion

After studying wine in Nantes and Mâcon, this keen professional developed his wine knowledge by working in great vineyard regions around the world. Thanks to his open-mindedness and wealth of experience, Jacques decided to mentor him in managing the Bordeaux estates and négociant firm. 

The two men share the same motto: "invest in quality".

Jean-Michel fully immersed himself in his new responsibilities, which included improving the overall quality of the estate wines and creating a wide range of négociant wines.

ACQUISITION OF CHÂTEAU LA CROIZILLE

This relatively little-known vineyard, situated between Châteaux Troplong Mondot and Tertre Roteboeuf, bordering on Château Tour Baladoz, turned out to be a jewel among wine estates.

Olivier De Schepper

The third generation joined the company at the turn of the millennium: Olivier De Schepper followed in his father's footsteps working closely with his uncle.

Since then, Olivier has supported Jacques in his long-term strategy for excellence, managing the sales team in Belgium and travelling around the world as an ambassador for the family chateaux.

ACQUISITION OF CHÂTEAU LACOMBE CADIOT

The family purchased their fifth estate, a Bordeaux Supérieur located in Ludon, increasing the total area under vine to 55 hectares.

Hélène De Schepper

Jacques' daughter Hélène joined De Mour in April 2013, reaffirming the company's family image. Hélène was responsible for opening up the châteaux to wine tourism (with Château La Croizille receiving the 2015 "Global Best of Wine Tourism" award), as well as developing marketing and public relations.

HIGH ENVIRONMENTAL VALUE CERTIFICATION

De Mour demonstrate their concern for the environment by adopting the Bordeaux EMS (Environmental Management System). Together with the estates, De Mour became ISO 14001-certified and obtained HEV (High Environmental Value) certification.

A dynamic and competent team

Today development continues under the dynamic, competent De Mour team. Our professional, multi-skilled staff make it their mission to satisfy all national and international clients.