The château makes a lovely stopover on a trip through the Médoc. In fact, the château has a double identity: it is both a wine school and an elegant Relais & Châteaux property, but its trump card is the food. It is refined, even brilliant, and Thierry Marx's technical virtuosity is dazzling. Originally from Alsace, he trained under Joël Robuchon and Alain Chapel and then worked in southern France with Jacques Maximin before becoming chef, most notably of the Cheval Blanc in Nîmes. Marx has rethought the cooking of the Gironde region with amazing flair. His menus are like an ode to the earth and the river, with his ingredients reflecting all their richness. Dine in the garden and savour the exquisite «Agneau de Pauillac» accompanied by one of the thousand Bordeaux awaiting you in the cellar.