“Vigneau de Bommes” was the original name of the vineyard, the chateau, the surrounding estate and, finally, the de Vigneau family, who were the first lords of the manor. Gabriel de Vigneau was mentioned in documents as early as 1635. His son, étienne, married Jeanne Sauvage, daughter of the Lord of Yquem, and personally took charge of the estate in 1681. Madame de Rayne, born Catherine de Pontac, bought the Domaine du Vigneau in 1834.

The official 1855 Bordeaux classification recognized Vigneau among the top wines of Sauternes as a 1st Grand Cru Classé. In 1867, the well-known wine broker Daney ranked it in first place, immediately after Yquem. In the same year, Vigneau won a gold medal at the Universal Exhibition and demonstrated the superiority of Sauternes wines in a comparative tasting with Rhine wines.

Albert de Pontac, a great-nephew of Madame de Rayne, decided to call the estate “Rayne Vigneau” in her honor. In 1961, the family was unfortunately obliged to sell the vines, winery and outbuildings, although they retained the chateau itself.

The new owners made considerable financial investments and put in a great deal of work to improve quality of the wine. They initially replanted nearly half of the vineyards, and then modified winegrowing methods to return to traditional practices. The main thrust of the 1980s was a thorough renovation of the cellar. In 1980, the first vat room in Sauternes with automatic temperature control was built.

This was followed by the installation of pneumatic presses, for gentler pressing. The last stage consisted of installing one of the best grape processing systems in the area, including a conveyor belt. The entire harvest is aged in oak, with 50% new barrels every year.

Thanks to these tremendous efforts, this wine has fully recovered its “First Growth” reputation.