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/hautbergey4.shtml)