France · Bordeaux

Chateau Filhot

Château Filhot is a 2ème Cru Classé Sauternes estate, one of the appellation's most historically significant properties. The château dates to the 17th century and the property covers 62 hectares under vine in the commune of Sauternes, making it one of the appellation's larger estates. The vine composition (60% Sémillon, 37% Sauvignon Blanc, 3% Muscadelle) gives Filhot an unusually high Sauvignon Blanc proportion for Sauternes, contributing to the wine's characteristic freshness and relatively lighter style compared to heavier Sémillon-dominant peers. Filhot is owned by the de Vaucelles family, and has maintained a consistent if restrained quality level—rarely achieving the stratospheric scores of Yquem, Rieussec, or Suduiraut, but producing wines of genuine elegance and very long aging potential. With 86 lots averaging $93 and the 1970 vintage the most traded—a remarkable indication of the estate's collector depth in back vintages—Filhot's auction profile spans over five decades. The price ceiling of $598 represents exceptional older vintages. The estate's willingness to produce wine in difficult botrytis years, when others declassify, contributes to the breadth of its vertical auction record.