Giannikos Winery - Châteaux Faugères

From 1823, the Esquissaud family acquired the estates of Châteaux Faugères and Péby Faugères. In 1987, the land is inherited by Pierre-Bernard Guisez. Until then, all wine produced had been sold to one local merchant. P. Guisez and his wife Corinne wanted to get more involved in the vineyards and started looking for the best quality. Their wish was to see these exquisite terroirs become jewels in the crown of the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru appellation, a wish that would soon be fulfilled with the help of Michel Rolland - the famous wine consultant. Since the year 2000, the wines of Château Faugères and Château Péby Faugères have taken their place among the very best. Robert Parker described the Château Faugères in 2000 as "one of the great revelations of this vintage".

In March 2005, the property was bought by Silvio Denz - a perfume designer, lover of fine wines, owner of Lalique and of two wine merchants in Zurich of which "Denz Weine". He is passionate about art and in particular the creations of René Lalique. When he acquired Château Faugères, he decided to rely on the exceptional clay and limestone to take the wines of Château Faugères to the heights, continuing the quest for quality and allowing the great terroirs of Faugères to express themselves to the fullest and that is rewarded because in 2012 Château Faugères will become a Grand Cru Classé

Château Faugères covers 37 hectares  of land that includes some of the most beautiful terroirs of Saint-Emilion. The vines are on a limestone plateau of asteria limestone subsoil, dating from the lower Oligocene, and clay and limestone slopes facing southeast in a circular formation, with limestone soil on clay and upper Eocene and Oligocene limestone molasses. This terroir is cultivated through natural sustainable viticulture.

The monumental winery designed by Mario Botta is located at the top of the plateau overlooking Château Faugères, built in the 18th century chartreuse style. It is a harmonious addition to the countryside, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mario Botta, "Master of Light and Gravity", has managed to turn the Château Faugères winery into a masterful work of art - a true wine cathedral. "For me, the project invites a comparison between 'rational' architecture built by man and the 'natural' evolution of the countryside," explains Mario Botta, "one enriching the other."

For Silvio Denz, the goal of the new winery is to serve the never-ending quest to improve the quality of the wine at every stage of production, using the very latest technology. Michel Rolland again actively cooperated, giving absolute priority to the capacity, organization and optimization of internal procedures.