Pessac-Léognan estate with biodynamic certification, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon led reds, and Sauvignon Blanc based whites.
The producer
Château Haut-Bergey is a Pessac-Léognan estate with 42 hectares split between red and white vineyards. Its red wine combines Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. The white wine uses Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. AB and Demeter certification dates to 2018, followed by Biodyvin certification in 2019. Red wine ages in French oak for 16 to 18 months, while white wine ages on fine lees for 10 to 12 months. The red wines carry broad, bold tannins that soften with age but remain present.
Known for
Biodynamic Pessac-Léognan red and white
Notable facts
Château Haut-Bergey farms 42 hectares, with 40 hectares for red wine and 2 hectares for white wine.
AB and Demeter certification dates to 2018, followed by Biodyvin certification in 2019.
The red wine is 43% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec.
The white wine is 82% Sauvignon Blanc and 18% Sémillon.
The story
The 1991 Purchase
In March 1991, Sylviane Garcin-Cathiard purchased Château Haut-Bergey. The estate later gained AB and Demeter certification in 2018, then Biodyvin certification in 2019. That Biodyvin status made Haut-Bergey the only estate certified in biodynamics in the Pessac-Léognan appellation. The vineyard carries two colours of wine, with a red composition of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec, and a white composition of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. The red wine ages in French oak, while the white wine rests on fine lees.
From the atlas
Château Haut-Bergey
Pessac-Léognan estate producing red and white Bordeaux wines under organic and biodynamic certification.
At A Glance
Field
Detail
Region
Bordeaux
Appellation
Pessac-Léognan
Vineyard
42 hectares, 40 for red wine and 2 for white wine
Wines
Red and white Bordeaux wines
Defining feature
Biodyvin biodynamic certification
The Producer
Château Haut-Bergey is a Pessac-Léognan estate with vines averaging 20 years of age. AB and Demeter certification arrived in 2018, followed by Biodyvin certification in 2019. Château Haut-Bergey is the only estate certified in biodynamics by Biodyvin in the Pessac-Léognan appellation.
Place
Pessac-Léognan is a Bordeaux appellation that covers both red and white wine. Château Haut-Bergey follows that two-colour format, producing separate red and white wines under the same appellation name.
Wines
The red wine is made from 43% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. The white wine contains 82% Sauvignon Blanc and 18% Sémillon.
Red wine production is close to 4,500 cases per year. The red wine ages in approximately 50% new French oak for 16 to 18 months. The white wine ages on fine lees for 10 to 12 months in approximately 30% new French oak. Fine lees are settled yeast cells that can add texture and savoury depth, while oak brings wood seasoning and controlled oxygen exposure.
In The Glass
The red wine has broad, bold and heavily extracted tannins. Bottle age softens them somewhat, but they remain present throughout the wine's life. The tannins give the wine a firm, drying feel that persists from the first sip through the finish.
A Bottle To Understand It
Château Haut-Bergey 2012 is the first bottle to open. It is the estate's red wine from a named vintage, with the producer name and year printed on the label. The vintage gives the red side of the range a fixed point in time before moving to the estate's separate white wine.
Final Word
Château Haut-Bergey puts red and white Pessac-Léognan under one name, with biodynamic certification and a red wine marked by persistent tannin.
Sources
1. [Pessac-Léognan Appellation Official Directory](https://www.pessac-leognan.com/en/nos-chateaux/chateau-haut-bergey/) 2. [The Wine Cellar Insider, Château Haut-Bergey](https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/bordeaux-wine-producer-profiles/bordeaux/graves-pessac/haut-bergey/) 3. [Château Haut-Bergey, Identités](https://www.haut-bergey.fr/identites-eng.html) 4. [The Wine Doctor, Château Haut-Bergey](https://www.thewinedoctor.com/bordeaux/hautbergey_4.shtml)