Dreyfus, Ashby & Co.

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CHÂTEAU SIAURAC
Lalande de Pomerol

SOME FACTS AND FIGURES

• Château Siaurac is the largest estate in Lalande de Pomerol.

• It covers 68 hectares, of which 39 are under vine, ideally situated on the extension of the Pomerol plateau.

• A wide range of soil types (gravel, clay and sand) help to produce a more consistent, even quality, after the blending of carefully, selected plots.

• Grape varieties : 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc.

• Average age of the vines : 25 to 30 years.

• Yield : between 45 and 50 hectolitres per hectare.

• Annual production : depending on the year, between 150,000 and 200,000 bottles.

VINE-GROWING

• Environmentally-friendly, sustainable viticulture methods. No spraying of insecticides.

• Grass-growing between the rows on the clay and sandy parts ; ploughing of the gravelly parts and draining of areas of damp soils.

• Crop thinning and de-leafing to keep down yields and enhance grape ripeness.

• Picking by hand.

• Double manual sorting to select the best fruit.

WINEMAKING PROCESS

Click on Critiques for more reviews...

• Plot by plot vinification.

• Temperature controlled vats in a cellar that was completely renovated in 1998.

• The capacity of each concrete vat corresponds to the size of a particular plot in the vineyard.

• Ageing in barrels for 12 months, only a quarter of which are renewed each year, to allow the character of the wine to show through better.

THE CHARACTER OF THE WINE

• Gravelly soil brings expressive aromas and silky tannins, clay provides power, texture and density, while sandy soils add suppleness to the wine.

• Characteristics that enable the consumer to enjoy it fully for 10 to 15 years.

• This balanced, harmonious wine can be drunk on any occasion.

The history
of the BARONNE GUICHARD estates

CHÂTEAU SIAURAC, Lalande de Pomerol,

FAMILY-RUN ESTATES BEGINNING IN THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY

In 1832, Pierre Brisson, a Libourne notary, bought the “Siorac” estate on the boundaries of the Pomerol commune. It was his son, Benjamin, who built the present elegant château, keeping the wings of the original building that dated back to the 18th century. In 1897, his grandson, Joseph, purchased the convent vineyard “Le Cru des Cordeliers”, a First Classified Growth in the 1881 edition of Féret, from the eminent Saint Emilion family, Berthomieu du Ménot, who remained the owners of the convent building. He renamed the wine “Le Prieuré” in memory of the convent.

In 1919, Joseph Brisson’s daughter, Madeleine, married Louis Guichard, a naval officer and writer. In 1936, Joseph, also the mayor of Néac, refused Siaurac the Pomerol appellation on the grounds that he could not grant the same favour to all the other estates of his commune ! Thanks to the efforts of his son-in-law, the Siaurac’s appellation Néac later was merged into the Lalande de Pomerol appellation.

In 1949, Baron Louis Guichard bought a 3,7 hectare estate by the name of La Croix de Gaye. Its name came from an ancient cross that stood at the edge of the property, once indicating a stage on the pilgrimage path to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Louis Guichard renamed his wine “Vray Croix de Gay” (Real Croix de Gay) to distinguish it from that of his neighbours who had legally registered the name Croix de Gay before him.

In 1983, his son Olivier, one of the key founding members of the Gaullist movement, several times a government minister and also the mayor of Néac from 1962 until 1971, took over the running of the estates, forming a company which he called Baronne Guichard, in honour of his mother. In 1998, he launched a huge modernisation programme for the 3 estates : restructuring the vineyards, complete renovation of the cellars and new teams.

In 2001 he took on a young oenologist and estate manager, Yannick Reyrel, who worked with Jean-Claude Berrouet, the renowned oenologist of the Jean-Pierre Moueix merchant house, the owners of Pétrus, Trotanoy, and Magdelaine, among others.

In 2004, the daughters of Olivier Guichard : Malcy Guichard Ozannat, Constance Poniatowski and Aline Goldschmidt, continued the tradition, took over the reins and entrusted the management of the three estates to one of the sons-in-law, Paul Goldschmidt.

The philosophy
of the BARONNE GUICHARD estates

CHÂTEAU SIAURAC, Lalande de Pomerol,

AUTHENTIC WINES REFLECTING THEIR EXCEPTIONAL TERROIR

Our three wines are made with the greatest care and latest know-how to bring out the full potential and authenticity of their terroir. We favour environmentally-friendly, sustainable viticulture methods so as to preserve the natural taste of the wine.

These include :

• No use of insecticides, and regular ploughing to avoid using herbicides.

• Crop thinning and meticulous de-leafing to keep down yields and enhance grape ripeness.

• Picking by hand.

• Double manual sorting to select the best fruit.

• Plot by plot vinification.

• Moderate use of new barrels to allow the wine to express its true character.

THREE MAJOR ASSETS GUARANTEE THE FUTURE SUCCESS OF THE ESTATES :

• A united, skilful, dynamic team working on all three estates.

• Substantial investment since 1998 and a programme of regular new investments planned over the next ten years.

• The close partnership with the Jean-Pierre Moueix merchant house.

ONE OBJECTIVE:

... To be the permanent leading benchmark of quality in each of the three appellations.

Tasting

CHÂTEAU SIAURAC, Lalande de Pomerol

BY JEAN-CLAUDE BERROUET, the technical director and oenologist of Jean-Pierre Moueix (owners of Pétrus, Trotanoy, La Fleur Pétrus, Magdelaine and so on) AND YANNICK REYREL, the Baronne Guichard estate manager and oenologist.

SOME USEFUL TIPS FROM OUR OENOLOGIST :
Leave wine to rest a few days after it has been travelling. Take good care of your bottles :
lay them down in a dark place at constant temperature, ideally 12°C.

Wines evolve, which is why we advise its peak will be “from” a certain year. You can also enjoy them before their peak. If you plan to do so, decant them one or two hours before drinking.

Opening the bottle and pouring the wine into a decanter in advance allows the tannins to open out and soften, and the “closed in” aromas to be released.

Ideal serving temperature : 16-18°C

2000 : An intense, deep, vermilion colour. Intense black fruit aromas on the nose with a supple, soft, fruity palate. Good length and lovely harmony. Already enjoyable. Will be at its peak from 2008 and the following twenty years.

2001 : A good intense colour. Stone fruit aromas come through on the nose. A silky attack on the palate with a gentle, soft follow-through. An elegant wine with a very original finish of kirsch flavours coming through. Already enjoyable. Will be at its peak from 2007 and the following fifteen years.

2002 : An intense, deep vermilion colour. Fresh and fruity on the nose. On the palate, the attack is also deliciously fruity. Pleasant with a liquorice finish. Already enjoyable. Will be at its peak from 2007 and the following fifteen years.

2003 : An intense colour. A nose of cooked grapes, spicy with a hint of caramel. Superb ripeness on the palate with a good tannic structure. Dark chocolate and ripe fruit in the finish with good full volume bringing harmony. Will be at its peak from 2012 and the following fifteen years.

CAREFUL !
Wines evolve, which is why we advise its peak will be “from” a certain year. It is up to you to watch over them and try them out over time ! You can also enjoy them before their peak. If you plan to do so, decant them one or two hours before drinking. Opening the bottle and pouring the wine into a decanter in advance allows the tannins to open out and soften, and the “closed in” aromas to be released. Ideal serving temperature : 16-18°C

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