Château GUIRAUD 1995
Château Guiraud is located in Sauternes , in the Bordeaux wine region. It was classified Premier Grand Cru Classé in the Sauternes and Barsac classification of 1855. Château Guiraud was originally known as Maison Noble de Bayle before being purchased by Pierre Guiraud in 1766. The estate was bought by Robert Peugeot (from the eponymous car manufacturer), Olivier Bernard (Domaine de Chevalier), Stephan Von Neipperg (Château Canon La Gaffelière) and Xavier Planty , winegrower in Guiraud since the 1980s. The property has around 85 hectares of vines, on sandy, gravelly and clay soils, which provide a good growing medium and, by virtue of their moisture retention qualities, are conducive to the propagation of noble rot.
Château Guiraud is a blend of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc , made from botrytised grapes . Fermentation is carried out in oak barrels (90% new and 10% from one wine). The wine is then aged in barrels for 18 to 24 months depending on the vintage. For Sauternes , the 1995 vintage was mostly brilliant . The growing season began with a mild winter, which turned into a warm, mild spring. Summer then brought high temperatures and dry weather, perfect for ensuring the phenolic maturity of the grapes. A wet September then led to the easy development of botrytis as the temperatures were still high enough to create that much needed humidity.
Grapes: Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc