Château Filhot is an old estate, located in Sauternes, Bordeaux. The château holds 350 hectares of land, 62 hectares of which are vineyards, classified in 1855 as 2nd Growth. Château Filhot is owned by the De Vaucelles family. Emmanuel Digneau is the winemaker, who is focused on making fresh, classic, well-balanced wines.

The estate produces 4 wines, including Château Filhot Sauternes Blanc and Trianon de Filhot Blanc (2nd wine).

The Château Filhot Sauternes Blanc 2017 scored 94+, 2013 scored 93 - 95, and 2009 scored 94 by the Wine Advocate.

Robert Parker’s tasting notes on the Château Filhot Sauternes Blanc 2017: “This wine wasn't showing too well when I tasted it from the barrel during Primeurs, but it has really blossomed now that it is in the bottle! The 2017 Filhot leaps from the glass with exotic notions of mango peel, pineapple upside-down cake and passion fruit with nuances of crème caramel and tangerine peel plus a fragrant floral waft in the background. Concentrated and complex, the multi-layered palate features a lively line of acidity offering compelling tension. It finishes long and earthy/minerally.”

Château Filhot is owned by the De Vaucelles family. Gabriel Vaucelles is in charge of the estate, Jean-Francois Normand is the technical director, Emmanuel Digneau is the winemaker and Henri Boyer is the consultant.

Gabriel Vaucelles is the successor of Romain de Filhot, who founded the château in 1709. Neither the family owner nor the size of the vineyard or the château itself have changed since that time. In 1855 the estate was classified as 2nd Growth. At that time vintages were labeled Château Sauternes, but in 1901 the estate was renamed back to Château Filhot.

The De Vaucelles name appeared at the estate with Henri de Vaucelles, Gabriel Vaucelles father. Henri de Vaucelles’s mother, a direct descendant of the Filhot family, married Count Pierre de Vaucelles, ambassador of France.

Château Filhot’s vineyards lie in gravel, clay and sandy soils. The vineyards are planted with 50 percent Sémillon, 50 percent Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle at a density of 6,500 vines per hectare. 40 percent of grapes are used for Château Filhot Sauternes Blanc and 40 percent for Trianon de Filhot Blanc (2nd wine). The blend for the 1st wine has been unchangeable since the 19th century: 60 percent Sémillon, 36 percent Sauvignon Blanc and 4 percent Muscadelle. Fermentation is carried out in 50 hectolitre temperature-controlled stainless steel vats at temperatures from 19°C to 20°C and lasts from 10 to 30 days. Light and gentle filtration 10 months after the fermentation is conducted. The wines are matured in vats and barrels with 30 percent new oak for up to 24 months. Blending is conducted in the middle of ageing.