Château Haut Bergey 2015

Tannic and sweet at the same time.

Haut-Bergey is one of those unclassified Léognan wines that has been given the means to compete on equal footing with the classified ones. The Garcin family, with the successive assistance of Michel Rolland, Jean-Luc Thunevin, and Alain Raynaud, has gradually transformed it into a model estate: today, the white wine has a slight edge in character over the red, which needs a few years to mellow. Recently, Haut-Bergey has also begun producing a delicious rosé. In 1996, Sylviane Garcin purchased Château Branon, 6.5 hectares planted equally with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, which produce a particularly charming Pessac-Léognan. The reds are generally well-structured and balanced; while they were often full-bodied in the past—requiring several years of aging before reaching their peak—the most recent vintages show a shift toward greater elegance.

Pomerol, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Pessac-Léognan—Sylviane Garcin-Cathiard owns vineyards in prestigious AOCs in the Bordeaux region. In Pessac, she manages Château Haut-Bergey—approximately 40 hectares acquired in 1991—and Château Branon, a small, long-established estate purchased in 1996, comprising 6 hectares in the heart of Léognan.

The 2015 Haut-Bergey is superb right now. Aromas of black cherry, plum, hard candy, and mint come to the fore. This decidedly succulent Pessac-Léognan has gained considerable body and developed texture and complexity in the barrels. It is superb right now.

Dense, with very ripe tannins and spicy notes. Dried fruits such as mulberries. Licorice. Full-bodied and powerful.