Pale yellow wine, green at the rim, displaying a crisp and powerful nose in which citrussy and floral aromas are subtly mingled with rose and passion fruit. The chewy, ample palate is underpinned by a hint of refreshing acidity. Harmonious, lingering finish. An elegant and balanced wine.

To ensure that its wine gets noticed in an appellation which produces large quantities of heterogeneous wines, Maison Sichel’s policy is to produce top quality – the result is a fine white wine which is balanced, fresh and fruity, with floral aromas. Efforts to bring out the very best of an outstanding terroir have yielded a wine of greater complexity and depth than ever before. Unlike the red, the white wine is produced in only low quantities. 

The original name of this property, parts of which date back to the 12th and 16th centuries, was La Salle d'Argadens. It became Château Argadens in 2002, when it was bought by Maison Sichel. Sichel's aim in acquiring Argadens was quite simply to see it express the full potential of its wonderful terroir and become one of the benchmark properties in the Bordeaux Supérieur category. To achieve this, the company has invested heavily in terms of finance, time and technology. Sichel's first vintage at the estate was 2002.

Covering 45 hectares of clay-limestone soil in a single plot, Argadens is superbly well situated on one of the highest hills of the rolling Entre-Deux-Mers wine region (one of the five highest points, in fact, of the Gironde). The vineyard is thus extremely well drained and extremely well exposed to the sun and the air.

Once they have reached optimum maturity, the grapes are harvested by machine. The Sémillon grapes are pressed immediately, whereas the Sauvignon is vatted immediately and undergoes pre-fermentation maceration. Pre-fermentation maceration is carried out under carbon dioxide gas to protect the grapes and must from oxidation. After pressing and settling out, some of the must is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. Once fermentation is complete and the wines have been lightly racked, they are aged on the fine lees and stirred regularly. The different parcels of Sauvignon and Sémillon are then blended and fined with bentonite prior to bottling in January or February, depending on the vintage.