Château Sigalas Rabaud

Identity

Château Sigalas Rabaud is an 1855 Premier Cru Classé located in the commune of Bommes, in the Gironde. It is managed by Laure de Lambert Compeyrot, representing the sixth generation of the family at the helm of the estate. The legal entity is SAS CH. SIGALAS-RABAUD.

History and philosophy

The original Château Rabaud vineyard was established in the 17th century. In 1863, Henri Drouilhet de Sigalas acquired the property, which then took the name Sigalas Rabaud. The estate was classified as a Premier Cru in 1855. In 1903, part of the land was sold, and Marie-Antoinette de Sigalas, Marquise de Lambert des Granges, took over the family estate in 1951. Gérard, Marquis de Lambert des Granges, succeeded her in 1984. Laure de Lambert Compeyrot has directed the estate since 2006. Château Sigalas Rabaud farms its vines using sustainable viticulture (viticulture raisonnée) and holds Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE4) certification.

Appellations

Château Sigalas Rabaud produces wines under the Sauternes appellation. The estate also produces Crémant de Bordeaux.

Practical information

Château Sigalas Rabaud is located at Rabaud-Sigala, 33210 Bommes. You can contact the estate by telephone on +33 5 57 31 07 45 or by email at chateausigalasrabaud@gmail.com. The cellar door is open all year round from 10:00 to 17:30, and on Sundays from June to September. It is closed during the weeks of Christmas and New Year. The estate offers tasting tours for a fee, including the tasting of five wines, as well as olfactory workshops by appointment. Guest rooms are available (La Chambre du Lieutenant, La Chambre des Demoiselles, La Chambre 1855, La Chambre Marie-Antoinette, La Chambre du Marquis) and the chartreuse manor can be hired exclusively. Dining options (picnics, aperitifs, meals, table d'hôtes) are also available. The estate accepts credit cards, cheques, and cash. Wi-Fi is available, and there is an on-site shop. Pets are not allowed, and groups cannot be accommodated for standard tours. The estate takes part in the Open Days (Journées Portes Ouvertes) in mid-November and hosts a permanent painting exhibition in its barrel cellar.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The Château Sigalas Rabaud vineyard covers 14 hectares. The soils are clay-gravel, benefiting from excellent drainage and a south-facing exposure. The average vine age is 45 years. The grape varieties grown are Sémillon (85%) and Sauvignon blanc (15%). The estate does not purchase external grapes. Vineyard management includes reducing chemical treatments, soil tillage, and using sexual confusion techniques for vine protection. The transformation of grapes by Botrytis cinerea, or noble rot, is central to production.

Flagship cuvées

The grand vin is Château Sigalas Rabaud, an 1855 Premier Cru Classé. Crafted with a minimum of 90% Sémillon, it is aged for 18 months in French oak barrels and is distinguished by its balance between freshness and sweetness, with floral and citrus notes. The estate also produces Le Lieutenant de Sigalas, its second Sauternes wine. In dry white wines, the estate offers La Sémillante de Sigalas, a single-varietal wine, and La Demoiselle de Sigalas, its second dry white wine. Another cuvée is Le 5 de Sigalas. The estate also offers Le Sans Alcool Sigalas Rabaud par Modérato, a dealcoholised wine crafted from Sémillon.

Vinification and ageing

Harvesting is carried out entirely by hand. For the grand vin, fermentation lasts approximately one month in barrel, followed by 18 months of ageing in French oak barrels.