Château Gilette is one of the smallest and most idiosyncratic properties in Sauternes. Even though it is now run by a new generation, Julie Gonet-Médeville and her husband Xavier Gonet (of Champagne Gonet), the unusual winemaking practices remain pretty much unchanged.
The wine is made only in selected vintages. It’s fermented in stainless steel and then stored – probably a more accurate term than ‘aged’ since the wines are protected from oxygen and thus barely change in that time – for more than 15 years in 2000- to 4000- litre cement tanks (see right) before bottling. No oak casks or...