Winegrowers’ portraits Pomerol - Saint-Emilion
Two châteaux, one family,
a same shared love for the terroir.
Visit between Pomerol and Saint-Emilion
on André Giraud's land,
independant wine grower.
Château Le Caillou is established on the famous terroir of Pomerol, a small AOC of 813 hectares with a typical rich of iron oxyde (called crasse de fer), ideal for the growing of Merlot. The family exploits 7 hectares here and produces wines typical of the appellation, full of elegance and fineness.
Different wines, but with the same “Giraud touch”. Because both châteaux are planted with the same grape variety (75 % Merlot and 25 % Cabernet) and benefit from the same techniques: hand picking and manual sorting, a long maceration for 3 to 4 weeks, fermentation in thermo-regulated concrete tanks, ageing in oak barrel during 12 months. The bottling is made at the property. The family particularly takes care for the environment and voluntarily limits the yields. They carry out plot selection and by-plot winemaking.
André is helped by his wife Sylvie. Since 2012, Stéphane, their oldest son, manages the production. And this year, their second son, a cook, will join the adventure to develop the winetouristic activities, especially the organization of theme meals focusing on their wines.
“We are lucky to be a family who lives at the heart of his vineyard. We work with care, observation and knowledge of two great terroirs which enables to develop wines having each their typicality and their elegance. Our philosophy is to respect our soils in Saint-Emilion Grand Cru and Pomerol”, Sylvie states.
The Giraud family is member of the young club In A Bottle, gathering 17 winegrowers of Bordeaux' area, created by the oenologists-consultants of Oenoteam. This club has been created to mutualize the communication tool through events to be known with the professionals and consumers.
Thanks to their privileged situation between Saint-Emilion and Pomerol, they already welcome a lot of lovers of their wine throughout the year. The pleasure to receive leads them to plan the development of guesthouses and a cottage at Château Le Caillou.
The Giraud family are firmly rooted in their terroir and the tradition, and they do not rely on their achievements and seem to have beautiful projects of expansion for future.
Sylvia van der Velden — www.vins-giraud-belivier.com —
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