Philippe Giraud, the owner and wine maker at Robert Giraud has enjoyed a long and varied career in all aspects of the wine business. Being brought up and living at the Chateau, the vineyards are his back garden.
Having spent his life there he knows the differences between the characteristics of each plot of vines and how the grapes will develop in each of them and bring their individual characteristics to the final blend. The fact that the Giraud family had Chateau in different appellations in Bordeaux meant that he had to understand and bring out the best from the different terroirs to ensure that each wine has its own personality and character.
His father, Robert Giraud, knew that the family business had an international focus and encompassed not only winemaking but all the other business and logistical skills needed to get the grape to bottle and the bottle to the four corners of the planet. Therefore having spent much time learning in the vineyard with his father, Philippe obtained a business education and the DUAD qualification in oenology at the University of Bordeaux. Before joining the Robert Giraud wine company he spent several years working and learning with influential importer and writer Alexis Lichine in the US, and also with an important importer in the UK before working at a London bank.
Armed with the background knowledge he joined the family company working through the different winemaking, technical and business departments until taking over as CEO from his father in 1999.