Château Olivier emerges in a vast clearing in the middle of a large estate consisting of forests, meadows, and vines. The château's distinctive architecture and beautiful grounds lie just eleven kilometres from the city of Bordeaux. Olivier is a very ancient seigneury, whose history goes back to the early Middle Ages, and it is said that the Black Prince (the eldest son of King Edward III of England) liked to hunt here. The estate has belonged to the de Bethmann family since the 19th century. They have invested heavily in renovating the estate in recent years. A detailed soil survey has revealed new potential for the terroir and led to the same vineyard configuration as in the 18th century. Six different grape varieties are grown on gravelly soil atop clay-limestone bedrock. These are all picked by hand into small crates and sorted first in the vineyard and again in the cellar. Château Olivier was classified in 1953 for both its red and white wines.