Proprietor Paul Goldschmidt
As a result upon personally visiting this area – it is like landing among the “holy grail” of wine regions! Names such as Pomerol, Sauternes and Medoc contain storied producers such as Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour, Château Margaux, Château Haut-Brion, Château Mouton Rothschild, Château Château d’Yquem and of course Château Petrus and Château Cheval Blanc.
The aforementioned wineries are among the most well known world-wide and we might add, expensive but with 8,000 estate producers in Bordeaux there is no shortage of very good and reasonably priced wine.
Château Siarac owns several vineyards – their largest property is in Lalande de Pomerol, a small piece right next door to Château Petrus (minutes from the Château) and a Saint-Emilion vineyard. Proprietor Paul Goldschmidt recently invested significantly into the estate both with the winery operations and the chateau itself.
He is certainly doing something right as far as both the wine and hospitality – he has a top wine making team with individuals on staff formerly from Château LaTour and Petrus. Châteauu Siarac also received a gold medal for Bordeaux in the category the “Best of Wine Tourism” in 2012 and 2015.
A visit here is typically with Viking Cruises as one of their optional shore excursions (highly recommended for this memorable experience). Paul or a family member will walk the grounds with your group including their vineyards. This is one of the more personalized winery tours for a large group that we have been on (and we have been on hundreds over the years). Paul has a dry sense of humor and is an affable individual with a true love of people. He welcomes questions and enjoys educating visitors about the vineyards and wine making.
The property is gorgeous and guests may just want to linger outside if the weather is good. To this Paul may mention “Naps are not discouraged…”!
After a tour outside you will proceed to the winery to see how the wine is made which is then followed by a taste of their wines. Their premium wine is sourced from their Lalande de Pomerol vineyard (a very expensive vineyard real estate neighborhood) – for this site and quality of wine – the Vray Croix de Gay, is priced very reasonably.
Arguably a highlight of a visit is the specially prepared lunch. The estate chef prepares a delicious cuisine using fresh and local ingredients paired with several of their wines. Cheese and dessert follows and if the weather permits a small coffee is provided for enjoying outside among the gardens.
As of mid 2015, Paul has renovated five rooms on the second floor of the elegant Chateau (which dates from the 18th century). Guests can stay here overnight; each of the rooms has a different layout and design – all with unique decor.
Château Siarac is located about 15 minutes from the very historical and visually appealing town of Saint-Émilion. Remarkably this small town boasts over 50 unique wine shops, selling everything from decades old wine from a number of the First Growth producers with prices running into the 10,000 plus Euro range to much more affordable wines. Many of the wine shops carry older vintages – often from the 1950’s through the 1970’s. Little cafes dot the streets – when the sun is out and it is warm, any of the outdoor seating is an ideal place to enjoy a long lunch and people watch.
And of course talk about wine as you are in the center of one of the world’s greatest wine regions.
For information about the Viking Cruise that offers this excursion visit: www.vikingrivercruises.com/cruise-destinations/europe/destinations/bordeaux/index.html
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