Chateâu Gilette (Gonet-Medeville)
Julie and Xavier Gonet-Médeville represent a new generation of French winemakers, each drawing from their family’s deep-rooted winemaking traditions. Julie’s family is known for the renowned Château Gilette, while Xavier hails from a lineage of Champagne growers in Le Mesnil. Together, they apply their inherited expertise and passion to their diverse wine portfolio.
In the 1930s, Julie’s grandfather, René de Médeville, revolutionized winemaking at Château Gilette by aging Sauternes in concrete vats instead of costly barrels, a practice born out of necessity during the economic downturn. This method, discovered during René’s service in World War II, allowed the wines to age slowly and develop complex aromas. Today, Gilette’s wines are uniquely aged for 15 to 25 years before bottling, setting them apart globally. Though Gilette spans just nine acres, the neighboring Château Les Justices, with its 19 acres, offers exceptional value from younger vines.
- Appellation: Sauternes
- Owner: Julie & Xavier Gonet-Medeville
- Winemaker: Julie Gonet-Medeville
- Varieties Grown: 90% Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle
- Hectares/Age of Vines: 4.5 hectares-20-80 years old
- Altitude/Soil: 20 metres-Sandy gravel with Limestone mother rock
- Farming Methods: Biodynamic
Wines
Red
Rose
White
Sparkling
Sweet
Fortified
Spirits
Cider