More than a decade ago we made something of a discovery. Because of the production time and slowing demand for dessert wines, a couple of the top Sauternes producers decided to take things in a bit of a different direction by taking some of their production and making a modestly price dry white. The first one that crossed our path was a much earlier version of the G de Giraud. We loved it, it was a huge hit, and it has been a pretty consistent part of the program ever since. Floral nose laced with hints of honey, bright and lively in the mouth, with a fresh, lifted, tender finish, it didn’t exactly fill a niche. Rather, it created a whole new option.
The soils here are gravelly, with 80% over sand and 20% over clay. Guiraud is farmed organically and got their certification in 2011. They take the same care with this wine as they do with their Grand Cru dessert wines, hand harvesting into small crates to avoid bruising. The wine is made from 50% Semillon and 50% Sauvignon Blanc from ripe grapes that were not botrytised, and sees seven months is second use oak barrels that held Sauternes the year before.
The 2019 Giraud Sec is another exciting effort in this unique category, arguably one of the better efforts if memory serves. A plump, bright display of apple, peach, quince, apricot and a hint of the honeyed-floral profile one typically associates with Sauternes. Pretty, delicate, tasty and light on its feet, it is extremely versatile with food but can play well as an intriguing aperitif. A -unique, sneaky-good beverage that exists outside expectations, it was an exceptional wine to pioneer and it still surprises.
Typically the critics don’t pay a lot of attention to wines like this as it doesn’t fit nicely into the typical ‘boxes’. But James Suckling’s note is spot on, “This is a dense, waxy white with sliced dried-apple and lemon character, as well as stone and white peaches. It’s full-bodied, flavorful and rich. I like the spicy finish at the end from the Semillon. Really excellent. From organically grown grapes…93 points.”