Once a large and celebrated estate, owned by the Gasqueton-Hanappier families, it was acquired by the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) in 1968, and André Lurton who had worked at the estate as a fermier since 1967, bought from INRA a smaller portion of Château Couhins.
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The château remained in the family until 1998, when it was sold to Bernard Arnault, chairman of luxury goods group LVMH, and Belgian businessman Albert Frère, with Pierre Lurton installed as estate manager, a constellation similar to that of the group's other chief property Château d'Yquem.
In the 20th century, the château was purchased by local négociants, and in 1961 it was purchased by Château Margaux, which was controlled by the Lurton family, which also owns Château Brane-Cantenac and Château Climens.
The Lurton family sold Clos Fourtet in 2001, reportedly for the sum of USD 66.8 million.
In 1951, author Robert A. Heinlein dedicated his science fiction book The Puppet Masters "to Lurton Blassingame".