Château Siaurac 2020

Château Siaurac is one of the more unusual wines we offer at Laguna Cellar.  While not a classified growth, this hidden gem of a property was previously owned by the famed First Growth Estate, Château Latour.  In October 2020, Château Siaurac was aquired by Artémis and Suravenir, a group that owns the majority stake of Château Calon Segur.  The property is managed by Vincent Millet, the general manager of the star Third Growth Property, and the trajectory of Château Siaurac is an exciting one without a doubt.  Due to numerous wine critics' ratings rising above 90 points from recent vintages, Château Siaurac is decidedly a property to watch.  The retail price is still under $30, its quality to price ratio is unbeatable.

Château Siaurac is a 46-hectare property located in the commune of Néac – a continuation of the famous Pomerol plateau.  It is the largest estate within Néac, and the vines are planted in one continuous plot. Though Pomerol receives more fanfare and critical acclaim, many argue the heavily graveled clay terroir of Néac is just as good.  There are a lot of winemakers doing amazing things here and the fact that this Right Bank commune is more obscure very much serves to the advantage of bargain hunters.

Perhaps one of the more important reasons why the wines of Château Siaurac are so amazing is because the team is fortunate enough to have Pénélope Godefroy as the technical director. Before coming over to manage Siaurac, Pénélope Godefroy was the oenologist at Château Latour.  Château Latour had so much confidence in the potential of Siaurac, it bought the property and sent its young star oenologist there to do a make-over. 

It was Pénélope who championed the transition of the First Growth property over to biodynamic viticulture, and she brings the same passion and experience to Château Siaurac. Speaking of terroir, Pénélope firmly believes in the potential of the terroir at Château Siaurac.  The estate has practiced sustainable agriculture and Biodynamic inspired techniques for a very long time.  They completely stopped chemical weeding in 2015 in addition to planting cover crops and using beehives near the vines to help with pollination. 

Château Siaurac has Organic aspirations for the future, and it’s clear Pénélope’s influence on the estate is making critics take notice. 

Their Merlot-based wines have smaller percentages of Cabernet Franc and just a kiss of Malbec, lending them an incredibly friendly, charming and easy-drinking quality.  For value-oriented wine lovers who enjoy approachable wines with great structure – look no further than Château Siaurac.  

"The 2020 Siaurac is absolutely gorgeous. A wine of refinement and class, Siaurac bristles with energy. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, spice and leather all develop in the glass, but it is the wine's purity that leaves the strongest impression. The 2020 is impeccable from start to finish." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous (June 2021), Rating: 90-92, Drink: 2025-2035

"Bright, cheerful and full of energy and a quiet power. Carefully extracted blackberry fruits, with an earthy hedgerow nuance running alongside, this is good quality and easy to recommend." Jane Anson, Primeur Week In Bordeaux (04/30/2021) Rating: 91, Drink: 2022-2030

''The 2020 Siaurac sports a deep purple-black color and fragrant notions of spiced plums, boysenberries and chocolate-covered cherries, with hints of menthol and unsmoked cigars. The medium to full-bodied palate is laden with ripe black berry layers, framed by velvety tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long with a minty lift.'' Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate (6/30/2021) Ratings: (88-90)