Château Guiraud is a sweet white wine ranked as Premier Cru Classé (French, “First Growth”) in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. 

History

Originally known as La Maison Noble du Bayle, the estate earned its name, and its fame, when it was owned by the Guiraud family in 1766. At the time of the 1855 Classification, the wines were sold under the name of Chateau Bayle. 

Vineyards

The 128 hectare vineyard of Chateau Guiraud is planted to 65% Semillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc. There is a total of 100 hectares under vine here. The remaining 28 hectares are reserved for parkland, greenery and forest land. Here, you also find land used to plant spices and for beehives, which aids in the natural biodiversity of the soil. It is interesting to note that Chateau Guiraud maintains one of the highest percentages of Sauvignon Blanc in the Sauternes appellation. This is still lower than what was at the time of the purchase.

Wines

They are planted with 65% Sémillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes are harvested in "tries" and the juice is then fermented in oak barrels. The wine is then aged in oak casks (50% new) for 2 years. The wines are astonishingly rich, especially in light of the high proportion of Sauvignon Blanc in the blend, and are undoubtedly amongst the finest wines being produced in Sauternes today.