Château Guiraud: The 20th Century
The Bernard brothers were well known in local circles, not for any great vinous achievements but rather for their industry. They had built many of the local railways, and were also responsible for the Bordeaux docks, which were heavily damaged during World War II, a mark of their significance as a port. Their resultant wealth meant that Château Guiraud was not short of new investment; the vineyards were expanded, the cellars renovated, and a fine château was erected in place of the insufficiently noble manor house. This was a golden era for Château Guiraud; the wines received great accolades and the reputation of the estate blossomed. The Bernards saw out the 19th century in charge, by which time the estate covered 180 hectares, with 70 hectares of vines.
The next generation taking control as appropriate, but with the marriage of two daughters into the Maxwell family, who were of Irish origin, the control of Château Guiraud eventually came in 1910 to James Maxwell. Sadly the Maxwells were not as successful as the Bernards, and some disastrous vintages coupled with war and depression forced them into selling Château Guiraud to the next character in its history, Paul César Rival, who acquired the property in 1932, paying 1 million francs for it.
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