The first vines have been planted at the former Libourne race course in Pomerol, Bordeaux, a year and a half after its closure was first suggested.

Some 13 hectares of vineyard will now be added to AOC Pomerol, decanter.com reports, and six winemakers have moved in to take advantage of the new land.

Chateau Mazeyres, Francois Janoueix, Benoit Trocard, Jean-Baptiste Bourotte, Luc and Marc Maison and Daniel Mouty have divided up the land between them.

"Priority was given to winemakers who already had vines adjacent," Jean-Baptiste Bourotte told the publication.

"Our new vines complete a plot that we already had that was not square because of the race track, so now it will be easier to work."

Money raised from the €5.9 million (£5.2 million) sale will go towards the Libourne Horse Racing Society.

The racecourse was put up for sale in 2009 after enduring a year of financial difficulties.