From the atlas
Château Larrivet Haut-Brion
A Léognan château in Pessac-Léognan, with gravel and sandy soils, Cabernet led reds, and Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon whites.
At A Glance
| Field | Detail |
| Region | Bordeaux, Graves sub-region |
| Appellation | Pessac-Léognan |
| Address | 84 Avenue de Cadaujac, 33850 Léognan |
| Site | Gravel and sandy soils, slopes rising to 52 metres |
| Wines | Red and white Bordeaux wines |
The Producer
At 84 Avenue de Cadaujac in Léognan, Château Larrivet Haut-Brion makes red and white wines within the Pessac-Léognan appellation of Bordeaux's Graves sub-region. The red wines use Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The white wines use Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.
The range includes vintage red and white wines alongside Les Demoiselles de Larrivet Haut Brion, the second label named to honor the winemaker's three daughters, Charlotte, Emily and Valentine. Recent reds move through 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2023, while the white wines include 2021 and 2022 vintages.
Place
The estate's address is in Léognan, within Pessac-Léognan in Bordeaux's Graves sub-region. Both red and white wines come from this named appellation, so the place remains constant while the grape varieties divide the range between Cabernet led reds and Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon whites.
Léognan is the commune named in the château's address, 84 Avenue de Cadaujac, 33850 Léognan. The appellation name places the property within Bordeaux's Graves sub-region and appears across the estate's red and white production.
Soil And Site
The terroir combines gravel and sandy soils, with slopes rising to 52 metres in elevation. Gravel drains readily after rain, while sand is also free draining and warms quickly. These conditions create lighter, warmer ground for vines than heavy clay, with the slopes adding changes in height across the property.
Cabernet Sauvignon ripens slowly, so well drained ground and warm exposures are commonly valued for Bordeaux red grapes. The site also supports white plantings of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, varieties that retain fresh fruit character when ripeness is balanced with drainage and exposure.
Story
In 1987, the Gervoson family took over the historic Bordeaux property. The family is known for Bonne Maman jams and jellies. Their arrival transformed the estate into a modern Pessac-Léognan property.
The current wines carry that estate in two colours. Red vintages use Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, while the white wines use Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. The range therefore retains a single Léognan address while presenting separate red and white compositions.
Vineyards And Cellar
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot form the red grape foundation. The 2022 red uses 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc and 18% Merlot. The 2023 red shifts to 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc and 7% Merlot.
The 2022 white uses 86% Sauvignon Blanc and 14% Sémillon. In a Bordeaux white blend, Sauvignon Blanc brings citrus and aromatic fruit, while Sémillon adds body and a broader palate. The documented wines show the grape proportions vintage by vintage, without a single fixed red composition across every release.
Wines
The range divides into red and white wines, with Les Demoiselles de Larrivet Haut Brion as the second label. The 2022 red is medium bodied with a soft, silky feel. The 2022 white is a Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon blend.
The vintage range gives the red wines several points of comparison, from the 2018 and 2020 reds to the 2022 and 2023 bottlings. The white wines include 2021 and 2022 vintages, each made from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon in the documented compositions.
In The Glass
The 2018 red shows concentrated red fruit with tobacco led aromatics and silky tannins. Its estimated ageing potential is more than 20 years.
The 2020 red brings dark red fruit, spice, smoke, tobacco, espresso and fireplace aromas. On the palate it is fresh, with polished red fruit, cherries and blackberries followed by cocoa, coffee and spice.
The 2023 red is floral on the nose, with tobacco, red fruit and forest leaf notes. Its palate is bright, fresh and almost crisp, with sweet red berries and an earthy, slightly green tinted finish.
The 2022 white opens with white flowers, grapefruit, spearmint, orange, mango, green apple and pineapple. Sweet yellow and orange citrus, pineapple, white peach and pear continue through a creamy, fruit filled finish. The 2021 white brings pineapple, white peach, honeysuckle, mango, orange rind and waxy lemon, followed by a fresh, crisp and energetic palate with chalk and yellow fruit on the finish.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose Château Larrivet Haut-Brion 2023 red. It contains 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc and 7% Merlot, putting all three red grape varieties into one named vintage.
That composition gives the first bottle a direct view of the estate's red wine category. The white wines and Les Demoiselles de Larrivet Haut Brion can follow as separate parts of the range, but the 2023 red begins with the château's Cabernet Sauvignon led blend.
Anecdote
In 1874, Ernest Laurent renamed the estate Château Haut Brion Larrivet. In 1949, neighboring Château Haut-Brion brought a lawsuit. After that legal action, the estate was renamed Larrivet Haut-Brion, fixing the order of the name used on the property and its wines. The current name preserves both parts of the earlier title while placing Larrivet first.
Final Word
Château Larrivet Haut-Brion is a Léognan château with gravel and sandy soils, red Bordeaux blends, white Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon wines, and a second label named for three daughters.
Sources
- https://www.pessac-leognan.com/nos-chateaux/chateau-larrivet-haut-brion/
- https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/bordeaux-wine-producer-profiles/bordeaux/graves-pessac/chateau-larrivet-haut-brion-pessac-leognan-bordeaux-wine/