The history of Château Siran dates back to the 19th century, precisely on January 14, 1859, when the Château became the property of the Miailhe family. Their ancestor, Leo Barbier, bought the estate for 100,000 Francs from the Comte and the Countess of Toulouse-Lautrec, the grandparents of the famous painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. It is 4 years after the famous classification of Crus Classés of 1855 that this Château will enter a family of wine professionals. From the middle of the 19th century, the descendants will follow one another in the respect of the family tradition. In 2007, the 5th generation, represented by Edouard Miailhe, manages the property following William-Alain and Brigitte Miailhe. Château Siran becomes one of the rare Médoc Grands Crus to have belonged to the same family for more than 150 years.

The vineyard of Siran is located on the plateau Labarde, in the Margaux appellation. It is literally surrounded by Crus Classés in 1855. Some say that he is lucky to be born, a few kilometers north of Bordeaux on the famous peninsula of the Medoc and in the heart of the no less famous Margaux appellation. Its 25 hectares of Margaux appellation benefits from a high quality soil. The distribution of the grape varieties of the property is also singular: 46% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Today, precision work is really done in the vineyard and “plot by plot”. The harvest is then expected at optimal maturity and picked up manually. Vinification, although traditional, incorporates the latest technologies to continue the parcel work, respect the grapes and extract the best. Finally, the aging is done in oak barrels whose new wood is carefully dosed.

It was classified as ‘Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel’

Château Siran is the result of a subtle blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, which reflects the identity of its terroir. The relatively high percentage of petit verdot brings a spicy note that reinforces the unique character of Siran’s wines.

Both powerful and subtle, Siran’s wines always seek a balance between the softness of the tannins, the intensity of the fruit and a persistent freshness. Siran wines are known for their aging potential, even long aging that will delight the most patient.

Appellation | Margaux

Area | 25 hectares

Soil | Outcrop with elevation up to 12 meters consisting of old covered alluvium with fine siliceous gravel

Blend | Merlot 46% , Cabernet Sauvignon 45% and Petit Verdot 9%

Vines | 30 years old, the oldest parcels dates from 1920 planted 9 to 10,000 feet /hectare. 101-14, 3309, 420A and Gravesac

Viticulture | Sustainable viticulture with tillage and grass cover and an organic trial on several parcels. Guyot double Bordelais with disbudding Ploughing, organic fertilization. Ventilation of vegetation: manual trimming, leaf stripping and cluster thinning. Voluntary crop limitation

Winemaking | Manual harvest in small crates, with manual sorting on table. 37 stainless steel vats of 60 to 180hl and 6 concrete vats. Intra-plot selection, Alcoholic fermentation at 26º C. Pumping over and releasing depending on the batches. Extended maceration at 23º-32º C, Vatting period of 18 to 24 days. Malolactic fermentation partly in barrels

Ageing | 12 to 14 months in French oak barrels with 35% new wood

At the tasting, Château Siran offers a fruity wine, delicate, with a lot of freshness and length.

Neal Martin for Vinous: “The 2017 Siran, a year where this Margaux estate escaped frost damage, has a pleasant, unassuming bouquet with brambly red berry fruit, cedar and light rose petal aromas, quite “transparent” and open. The palate is medium-bodied with a piquant entry. This Siran is a little coarse at the moment but the edges will smooth out over time. This is a pretty Margaux to enjoy over the next decade or two

Wine Enthusiast – 94 points

This luscious, ripe wine is both balanced and generous. Acidity comes from the freshness of the vintage, bringing out fruitiness to complement the tannins. The wine will develop well.

Vinous – 93 points

The 2017 Siran has turned out beautifully. Dark and rich with tons of nuance, Siran is super expressive in 2017 in the mid-weight style of the vintage. Wild cherry, plum, dried flowers, mint, tobacco and smoke are all laced together in this pretty, inviting Margaux.

Jeb Dunnuck 90-93 points

The 2017 Château Siran should certainly be an outstanding wine. Giving up lots of black fruits, charcoal, and graphite notes, it’s medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated, and with solid ripeness and depth. It’s an impressive effort from Margaux.

Decanter – 92 points

This is rather lovely, with excellent aromatics and fine tannins with a feeling of flex and precision. There is no question that the fruit has form and density, with focused cassis and tobacco notes and some slate. This also lasts well on the palate. The fruit is at the fresher end of the scale, as is true across most wines in 2017, but it’s clearly successful.

James Suckling – 92 points

A tight, linear 2017 with compact fruit and seamless tannins that show length and beauty. Medium to full body. Lovely finish.