World War II and A Wife (and Wine) Waiting at Chateau Gilette

The rich history of Chateau Gilette dates back to 1710, when Numa Medeville took the hand of Marie Despujols in marriage. With her came the family home and vineyards, which we know today as Chateau Gilette and Chateau Les Justices.

In this video, Xavier Gonet–the husband of Numa’s great-great-granddaughter, Julie Medeville–explains how Chateau Gilette began implementing a longer period of élevage in its Crème de Tête Sauternes wine, beginning with the 1937 vintage.

Take a look and listen to Xavier tell the remarkable story of how this 4.5-hectare estate in the village of Preignac uses concrete vats and turned war time misfortune into a time-honored tradition.