History of the estate
Athough its location, its terroir and its reputation largely deserved to be included in the 1855 classification, the Toulouse-Lautrec family, owners of Siran, legitimists and faithful to their family tradition, had declined the invitation to be included in this “Bonapartist classification”. At one time classified Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel alongside the châteaux Phélan-Ségur, Haut-Marbuzet, Chasse-Spleen, Château Siran is now charting its own unique and singular path on the road to excellence.
160 years of family history
The family story started in the middle of the 18th century, when this complete, harmonious estate, rich in biodiversity, with undeniable charm seduced Léo Barbier. The 17-hectares vineyard, in a single block, in the heart of the Médoc’s greatest terroirs. Léo Barbier, a Bordeaux wine merchant, recognized the qualities of this jewel. After it was acquired on 14 January 1859 from Jeanne-Adèle, Countess of Toulouse-Lautrec, he decided to develop and embellish the property.
His two daughters married the brothers Paul and Alexandre Sollberg in 1866. But the two sons-in-law went bankrupt between 1883-85 and left in a hurry to live in Argentina. In 1885 the family called upon a nephew, Fréderic Miailhe, son of Elie Miailhe and Lovely Sollberg, to manage Siran with a Sollberg son-in-law, Marcel Mortier. Fréderic Miailhe, a wine broker, fell in love with Siran and devoted himself to it. So much so that in 1915, he bought back the shares of his Sollberg aunts. We owe him great thanks, especially also for the still delicious 1918 vintage.
The Miailhe Family
Established in Portets in the 17th century, the Miailhe family counts among its members mayors, jurats, and advisors to the king. Elie Miailhe took up the profession of broker in 1793. His descendants continued to work as brokers without interruption until 1970. Their dynamism encouraged them to invest in the Médoc wine industry between 1920 and 1950.
Louis and Édouard, Fréderic’s sons succeeded him. Louis brought to Siran a passion for Petit Verdots and Merlot, which can be found in other properties that belonged to the Miailhe family such as Pichon Comtesse de Lalande or Palmer.
After the death of Édouard Miailhe in 1959, the properties were managed in the family indivision and then distributed among his three children. Siran went to his son William-Alain.
William-Alain Miailhe managed Siran from 1978 to 1988. He equipped the estate with modern winemaking tools and hired the first consultant oenologists, Émile Peynaud, Guy Guimberteau and then Jacques Boissenot. Brigitte Miailhe, his wife, succeeded him from 1988 to 2007. Both art lovers, we owe them the series of labels designed for Château Siran by renowned artists, which enchanted Siran wine lovers for more than 20 years.
In 2007, their son, Édouard Miailhe, took over the reins of the estate. He has undertaken very important investments to restructure and modernize the vineyard, the vat room, the arrival of the harvest, the aging cellar, the tasting rooms, the shop and the cellar. These considerable efforts allow Siran today to fully assume its place as one of the assimilated Classified Growths of 1855.
Looking back on our past
Guilhem de Siran
Siran (Ciran)
Flore Lussignet (Lucinet),
François-Augustin du Boscq
Elie Miailhe
Marie Duboscq
Jeanne Adèle de Laroque-Bouillac,
Creation of the Miailhe brokerage office
Start of a new family history
Léo Barbier
Fréderic Miailhe, the son of Lovely Sollberg, and Marcel Mortier
Fréderic Miailhe
Édouard F. Miailhe, the son of Frédéric
Emile Peynaud, forefather of modern oenology
Death of Édouard F. Miailhe
William-Alain Miailhe, the son of Edouard,
First illustrated label
Brigitte Miailhe, William-Alain’s wife,
Siran is recognised as a Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel
Édouard Miailhe, the son of William-Alain,
The Miailhe family
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