Giscours case finally comes to court

A court case that has been outstanding against Chateau Giscours since 1998 is finally due to reach the Bordeaux courts.

The case relates to the 1995 vintage. Dutch owner Eric Albada-Jelgersma, along with two others, was accused of mixing together of AOC Margaux and AOC Haut Medoc in the chateau’s second wine, La Sirene de Giscours, which should be made only with grapes from the Margaux appellation.

Albada – who had bought Giscours in 1995 – was indicted along with then director of the Margaux cru classe estate, Jean Michel Ferrandez, and Pascal Froidefond.

The 150-acre property contains vines of both appellations: the AOC Medoc vines should go into a third wine, never under the name Giscours or Sirene de Giscours.

The original accusation was brought by an ex-employee, who had lost his job when Albada took over the property.

Alexander Van Beek, the current director of Giscours, told decanter.com, ‘We are very happy that this has finally reached court after the numerous delays, and hope we can draw a line under the affair. Nothing has ever been proved, and we welcome the opportunity to show the allegations to be false.

‘Mr Albada has always wanted to make the best wine possible, and the idea that he would invest millions in buying and improving Chateau Giscours, then the following year attempt to defraud the public in order to make a few more bottles of his second wine, is clearly ridiculous.’

The case comes to court on 2 June.

Written by Jane Anson in Bordeaux