Family Article

Chateau Guiraud is one of the largest estates in Sauternes and makes a Premier Grand Cru Classé Sauternes. For much of the 19th and 20th centuries the 300-acre estate, which includes 210 acres of vineyards, was owned by a single family, the Guirauds, who earned the estate a reputation for outstanding wine. In 2006 the estate was purchased by four business partners who have continued to produce prestigious wines. Vineyards are planted with 65% Semillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc, which is a notably high percentage of Sauvignon Blanc by the standards of the region. On average the vines are 30 years old. Nearly 10,000 bottles of Chateau Guiraud are produced annually. The estate also produces a dry white wine of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.

Château Guiraud recently earned organic farming certification, becoming the first of the Premiers Grands Crus Classés in the 1855 Bordeaux classification to do so. Winemaker Xavier Planty says the decision to adopt organic viticultural methods has helped shape the style of the property’s wines, putting greater emphasis on purity, intensity and elegance.