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Wine Description
The Story
The 62 hectares of vines of the château Filhot are planted with 60 % of Sémillon, 36 % of Sauvignon and 4 % of Muscadelle. The hillsides face towards the south or the south-west and consist of gravels, clay and sand on calcareous base. They are bordered by the Landes forest and are crossed by Ciron (small local river) which creates the ideal microclimate for the development of the botrytis cinerea on the grapes.
The harvest is made with successive selections according to the state of maturation of the grapes and the evolution of the noble rot (botrytis cinerea). This long work of selection gives low yield, about 10 to 20 hl/ha depending on the year.
Viticulture
Vineyard position: South of the village of Sauternes on south-west facing slopes
Harvesting: By hand with successive passages through the vines
Winemaking
Fermentations: In 50 hectolitre temperature-controlled stainless steel vats
Temperature of fermentation: Between 19 and 21 degrés C
Length of fermentation: From 10 to 30 days depending to the grape variety and the concentration
Filtration: Light and gentle filtration 10 months after the fermentation (no sterile filtration)
Blending: Approximately 14 months after fermentation
Maturing: 2 years in barrel and vats
Barrels: Oak from the Allier forest of central France, 1/3 new barrels yearly
Bottling: 20 to 24 months after fermentation
Wine Information
The creation of the vineyard dated from 1630 up to 1650. The chateau was built in 1709 by Romain de Filhot (1641-1710) whose family already owned the noble house ‘Verdoulet’ in Sauternes. At that time, he changed the old label ‘Wine of Langon’ by introducing the Sauternes appellation.
After the revolution, the Lur-Saluces, managed the property, which they had inherited from Josephine de Filhot. In 1840, Romain-Bertrand de Lur-Saluces (1810-1876) joined up the vineyards of Chateau FILHOT and Pineau du Rey. In 1845, he rebuilt the castle in collaboration with the Architect Poitevin. The Landscape Gardener Fisher contributed to the elaboration of the large garden which surrounds the chateau.
The vineyard was awarded the ‘Second Cru Classification’ according to the 1855 official classification suggested to Napoleon III by the Negociants and the Chamber of Commerce of Bordeaux. From then on the wine Chateau FILHOT was universally diffused under the name of Chateau Sauternes until the end of the 19th century.
The estate was given back the title of Chateau FILHOT in 1901. In 1935, the Countess Durieu de Lacarelle, born Lur-Saluces, bought the vineyard from her brother. Her son, Louis Durieu de Lacarelle restored and expanded the vineyard until the 1970s.
One of the Countess Durieu de Lacarelle’s daughters married the Count Pierre de Vaucelles, ambassador of France. Since 1974, their eldest son, the Count H. de Vaucelles, has been managing the Chateau FILHOT and is assisted by his son Gabriel since 1996.