Château Thieuley ‘Cuvée Francis Courselle’
Food Pairing
A wine made by the Courselles and named after their father Francis, 50/50 Sauvignon/Semillon.
It is fermented on skins in oak and resting on lees in oak for 9 months and blended just before bottling. “This is classic Graves-style wine, with that strange contrast between sweet oak and sharp citric fruit. As such, it is perhaps an acquired taste, but for aficionados, this delivers huge satisfaction!” Jancis Robinson, Purple Pages.
Plumes of piquant and punchy herbs and green fruit strike the senses once this acclaimed Bordeaux Blanc is uncorked. A wonderfully zesty white wine blend with electric citrus fruits.
Terra Vitis certification and made using organic methods.
- Country
- France
- Region
- Bordeaux
- Grapes
- Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon
- Vintage
- 2018
- ABV
- 12.5
- Code
- 10022
- Style
- White
- Methods

Winemaking Sisters
Sylvie and Marie Courselle are sisters and oenologists from Bordeaux. Together, they run Château Thieuley, their family estate near La Sauve in Entre-Deux-Mers, Bordeaux. Château Thieuley was bought by their grandfather in 1950, but it was their father, Francis Courselle, who made the estate famous. He was a renowned expert in white wines and an oenological educator at Bordeaux University. To spite this recognition, Francis Courselle truly earned Château Thieuley's reputation by making outstanding white wines that rival the great white wines of Burgundy.
Marie and Sylvie Courselle were raised in vineyards and wineries, steeped in the practice and culture of winemaking. It is here where they inherited their father's passion for wine and created Le Petit Courselle.
"Le Petit Courselle is the brother we never had when we were young so, instead, we brought him to life in our imagination to share our adventures, our silliness and our magical childhood moments. The two wines "Les Copains" and "Les Copines" (Friends!) reflect who we are - they're happy wines, full of generosity for bringing people together and sharing."
Marie & Sylvie Courselle
"True to his ability to visit an established wine region and come away with a bargain that could thumb its nose at nominally more prestigious wines, the late Paddy Keogh discovered Château Thieuley in Bordeaux's Entre-Deux-Mers when all that region was known for was watery wines of dubious charm. Not this blend of Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon. The latter lends a smooth texture that is beautifully counterpointed by the former's green fruit perk."
"As good as many a fine white Burgundy and a lot cheaper."
"Dry white Bordeaux improves each vintage and new winemakers such as Francis Courselle's daughters Sylvie and Marie are well aware of its winning style. I'd much rather have this zesty, greengage-charged, dry wine as a festive apéritif, or great smoked salmon or seafood partner, than a boring, needlessly expensive Chablis or Poully Fumé."
"Gorgeous, rich and ripe luscious fruit aromas waft from the glass with almost New World brashness. More restraint is shown on the palate; almost delicate with a charge of nervy acidity electrified by citrus fruits. A sensual wine that delivers on length."
Chateau Thieuley
The name « Thieule » comes from the ancient French word tioule, a tile factory that used the local clay, the key component of the great Bordeaux vineyards. Our soils are a mix of clay and gravel. In Clos Sainte Anne, the quality of the terroir lies in the combination of a southerly exposure of the slopes with the deep gravel soils on the top of a fine clay and calcareous subsoil. All these factors help the grapes to reach perfect maturation, especially Merlot.