Meet the CEO bringing new flair to Château Angélus estate
Meet the CEO bringing new flair to Château Angélus: Stéphanie de Boüard-Rivoal, the first woman in eight generations to lead the famed Saint-Émilion estate, is guiding a 200-year Bordeaux icon toward sustainability, a fresher cellar style, and an expanding hospitality portfolio as its majority shareholder and managing director.
Published in July 2026, coverage of her leadership underscores why one of Bordeaux's most storied right-bank properties matters beyond the wine aisle. For readers tracking luxury real estate and dream homes, Angélus represents how historic estates evolve into lifestyle destinations without surrendering pedigree.
Key Takeaways
- Stéphanie de Boüard-Rivoal is the first woman in eight generations to run Château Angélus in Saint-Émilion.
- She became majority shareholder while her father, Hubert de Boüard, remains a technical supervisor.
- Her tenure emphasizes sustainable viticulture and a fresher, more vibrant wine style in the cellar.
- Hospitality acquisitions include Logis de la Cadène, Maison de la Cadène, Auberge de la Commanderie, and two-Michelin-star Le Gabriel.
- She leads 170 people and draws mentorship from her father and former Krug CEO Maggie Henriquez.
Who is the CEO bringing new leadership to Angélus?
De Boüard-Rivoal was born in 1982 and grew up on the estate, one of three siblings in the de Boüard family. She studied at Bordeaux University's Faculty of Economics and at ESCP-EAP business school in France.
After decades under her father's helm, Hubert de Boüard transferred operational control while staying involved as technical supervisor. She is married to Marc Rivoal, who runs a wine négociant company, and they have three children.
She harbored childhood ambitions to join the family business, a path she has followed since taking the reins as steward of a multigenerational brand.
What is she changing in the vineyard and cellar?
Angélus soils are principally clay-limestone; its Carillon d'Angelus plots vary between clay, sand, and limestone. Under her management, the team has pursued a more sustainable vineyard model that preserves biodiversity and optimizes resources.
In the cellar, she has shifted toward a fresher, more vibrant style while maintaining complexity in the wines. She has also personally led acquisitions of additional vineyards and given special attention to Carillon d'Angelus.
How has hospitality reshaped the estate?
Beyond winemaking, de Boüard-Rivoal expanded the family's hospitality arm. Acquisitions include Logis de la Cadène, followed by boutique guest house Maison de la Cadène in 2016 and hotel Auberge de la Commanderie in 2017.
In 2019, she acquired L'Observatoire Le Gabriel, a two-Michelin-star restaurant in Bordeaux. Fluent in French, English, and Spanish, she oversees all business aspects while leading a team of 170 people.
Why does this signal a new chapter for Bordeaux estates?
Her achievements reflect mentorship from her father and Maggie Henriquez, the erstwhile CEO of Krug Champagne. That guidance helped balance tradition with energy and precision at the helm of a 200-plus-year property.
Off the clock, she rides horses, travels, and cooks—personal passions that mirror the estate's hospitality ambitions. For authoritative detail, see the Robb Report profile.