Chateau Guiraud 2017

The Power of a Great Sauternes from Chateau Guiraud

Chateau Guiraud, an 1855 First Growth Classification in Sauternes, is a 85-hectare plot with 65% Semillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc. It is one of the most important properties in the Sauterns, which is located thirty kilometers south of Bordeaux. This mosaic of soils contributes to the complexity and typicity of Château Guiraud’s Premier Grand Cru.

The 2017 vintage puts a slight damper on the spirits since the disasterous frost at the end of April damaged 40% of the vineyard to give a yield of 8hl/ha. The technical team were able to save the remaining vines to enture the best phenolic ripeness of the grapes.The 2017 harvest started on September 5th and finished on October 10th. Hand-harvested, the technical team made several passes through the vineyard to pick the botrytised grapes at the right moment.

Chateau Guiraud officially got its Organic Agriculture in 2011 (organic inspections have been carried out on the vineyard since 1996), and the 2017 vintage is the seventh time it has received this certification.

The Chateau Guiraud 2017 is a delicate vintage, but it is indeed a grand wine with powerful botrytis characteristics. The nose has the typical Chateau Guiraud signature with fresh mirabelle plum and exotic notes of lychee, pineapple and mango. With aeration, mint notes appear and then give way to spicy hints of pepper and black tea. The perfectly balanced wine lusciously attacks the palate, and then gives a slow, lingering finish with hazelnut notes. This youthful Chateau Guiraud 2017 shows all the features of the typical great wines from Sauternes, which means it will continue to develop superbly with age.