Château Rabaud-Promis

History

Let's go back to 1660 in this mythical château, which at that time belonged to the Cazeau family. A family of great renown, the Cazeau family managed the estate for several decades. In the 17th century, they established a reputation for producing well-balanced, intensely aromatic wines. Noted for the growing quality of its wines, the estate was bought out in the 19th century.

It was then in 1819 that a new chef arrived, by the name of Gabriel Deyme. He was only there for a short time, but long enough to contribute to the estate's classification as a Premier Cru Supérieur in 1855. In 1863, he sold the estate to Henri Drouilhet de Sigalas, who added his own name to become Château Rabaud Sigalas.

But all that changed in 1903, when Gaston Drouilhet (the son) sold part of the Château Rabaud-Sigalas vineyard. This portion was taken over by a certain Adrien Promis, who decided to keep the base of the name, while adding his own personal touch: this was the birth of Château Rabaud-Promis...

A new Sauternes producer was born. The Dejean family arrived in the 1950s and set about preserving the estate and its position as a Premier Cru Supérieur. Since then, the family has been the sole owner of Château Rabaud-Promis.

A sweet wine like no other

This family, evolving on 33 hectares of vines, has to play with a terroir that is among the most complex in the appellation. A layer of gravel and a subsoil of clay and sand make for an exceptional blend for vines, averaging 40 years old. The grape varieties that thrive here are Semillon (80%), Sauvignon Blanc (18%) and Muscadelle (2%).

More than just a terroir and the right grape varieties, it's a whole range of know-how that wins you over. Forests and natural habitats for flora and fauna are welcome on the estate. It's the importance of preserving the environment that makes Château Rabaud-Promis a true vocation.

This natural environment benefits the wines, which are both seductive and elegant. But the estate's exemplary approach doesn't stop there: the grapes are harvested by hand to enhance their quality. Indeed, in order to produce sweet wines, the grapes selected must be concentrated by botrytis cinerea (or noble rot). Then come all the winemaking operations to which the estate team attaches great importance in their execution.

Ageing takes place in oak barrels, sealing the fate of the wines of the current vintage. This is when the wines develop a rare intensity of aromatic expression, sublimated by smoothness and freshness...