Château Guiraud 2009 - 1er Grand Cru Classé

An expressive and complex bouquet. Very nice balance on the palate, with good body. Medium-bodied for a 2009. Long finish, with a late surge of acidity and grapefruit zest. A lovely wine.

The château is owned by four partners: Robert Peugeot, Xavier Planty (who manages the estate), Stephan von Neipperg, and Olivier Bernard. Certified organic since 2011 and boasting a truly unique collection of white grape varieties from Aquitaine (175 clones of Sauvignon and Sémillon), Guiraud is leading the way in sustainable viticulture in the Sauternes region. Here, perfectly botrytized grapes are harvested with precision to produce two types of sweet wines. The flagship wine, full of finesse and maturing fairly quickly in the bottle, and “Petit-Guiraud,” which is deliberately less rich but perfect as an aperitif—as one can see in the very elegant restaurant-brasserie the estate has just opened. The dry Bordeaux “G” is less appealing: clean but too simple for the terroir.

Mango, banana, lychee, rose, gingerbread, honey, amber… A true feast for the senses. The palate is powerful, grounded, and imposing, yet it retains a festive quality on the finish, right after a hint of warmth.

Vertical tasting at the Château. The 2009 Guiraud offers a complex, early-developing bouquet with notes of honeysuckle and jasmine, along with hints of dry honey and white peach. It is elegant and very precise. The palate is pure and taut, once again displaying great precision, with superbly integrated oak and a beautiful, seductive, and very rich finish, rich in botrytis. In many ways, 2009 embodies the wine we’ve been hoping for in every vintage since 1983. Drink 2018–2040.

 

This Sauternes Premier Cru Classé is now owned by four co-owners: Robert Peugeot, Olivier Bernard (Domaine de Chevalier), Stephan Von Neipperg (Château Canon-la-Gaffelière), and Xavier Planty. Under the skilled leadership of Xavier Planty, the estate has, for many vintages now, produced a perfect example of a great modern Sauternes—toasty, very approachable even in its early years, and one that has gained tremendous finesse and minerality. Viticulture here is meticulously managed; in fact, Guiraud was the first of the 1855 First Growths to receive organic certification, in 2011. Through tremendous dedication, the estate succeeds in allowing noble rot to develop naturally. As for winemaking, the estate strictly avoids any form of chaptalization—as should be the case for all classified growths, a principle championed by Xavier Planty. The Château also produces, on unclassified Sauternes terroirs under the Bordeaux appellation, a significant volume of a dry white wine meant to be enjoyed in its prime youth.

This wine really shines with its botrytis, offering notes of spicy almonds, peach tart, and dried apricot on the nose and palate. It is full-bodied and very sweet, with a long finish. The fruit tastes so dried. The wine is rich and powerful, with a hint of bitterness. A blend of 35% Sauvignon Blanc and 65% Sémillon.