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Petit Guiraud

2016
Producer
Vignobles Comtes von Neipperg
Blend
35% Sauvignon Blanc
65% Semillon
Country
France
Region
Bordeaux
Appellation
Sauternes
UPC
0 15643 58162 5
White Wine
Verified Stock
11343-16
Product Ratings
James Suckling 90pt

A lighter style of Sauternes with this second wine of the revered Guiraud. Medium-bodied and lightly sweet with dried-apple, apricot and pineapple character. Fresh finish

by James Suckling, 2019
Wine Advocate 90pt

The pale lemon colored 2016 Petit Guiraud sings of preserved lemons, pink grapefruit and marzipan with touches of allspice, chalk dust and acacia honey. The palate is quite mineral and savory in character with a lively line carrying off the long, chalky finish.

by Wine Advocate, 2019

Vinification

Fermentation: Partly in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats and partly in barrels. The different batches are fermented until they reach equilibrium (about three weeks), the nature of which depends on their plot selection.
Ageing: In vats and barrels during about 12 months.

Vineyard

Château Guiraud got Organic Farming certification in early 2011 and has managed the vineyard using organic methods since 1996.

History

Members of the Franconian aristocracy with a long political and agricultural tradition, the Counts von Neipperg family line can be traced back to the 12th century. Representing some eight centuries of winegrowing and winemaking experience, today Count Stephan von Neipperg manages the 9 family-owned estates, 4 of which are in Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux: Château Canon La Gaffelière, La Mondotte, Clos de l’Oratoire, Château Peyreau.

Tasting notes

Petit Guiraud seduces by a incredibly fresh fruit: grapefruit, passion fruit, pineapple. Thanks to a very rigorous plot selection, Petit Guiraud expressese something different of the Château Guiraud's terroir. The wine is floral and feminine, very tasty and light.

Harvest

Manual picking only, by several sortings on botrytised berries. A minimum potential charge of 20% alcohol is required to start the harvest.

Description

Making luxury accessible is the raison d'être of Petit Guiraud. Following vinification with the property’s Grand Cru, the second wine is a blend of wines from several batches, selected for their style. Aged in oak barrels or in stainless steel vats, the main characteristic of the second wine is its freshness and the fact that it can be enjoyed relatively young. Petit Guiraud thus makes the pleasure of drinking this modern wine available to all.

Terroir

Soils: sandy gravels 80%, 20% clay gravels.
Subsoils: deep translucent sand, pure gravels crossed by red clay and limestone marls, fossilized oyster beds and red and white clay.

Estate

Château Guiraud, which dates back to the 15th century, is one of the jewels of the Sauternes appellation. Certified organic, the estate has over 100 hectares of vines (65% Sémillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc). Stephan von Neipperg has been co-owner of the château since 2006. This is fully in keeping with his background, since his family continues to make sweet wine at their estate in Germany.