Château Olivier Pessac-Léognan rouge 2016 - Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About wine:

A very elegant nose, bursting with fruit and floral and mineral aromas, delicious on the palate, with a fine texture, rounded tannins, lots of fruit and great freshness. Elegant and well-balanced, but with undeniable potential. Drink before 2034.

About the estate:

This magnificent property on the outskirts of Bordeaux has managed to preserve, in addition to its 55-hectare vineyard, a large area of forests and meadows. In the early 2000s, the Bethmann family carried out major work and entrusted the management of the estate to Laurent Lebrun. His rigor and keen analysis of the terroir have led to a significant improvement in the quality of the wines. The white wine, which traditionally contains a good proportion of Sémillon, has become complex and elegant, with a strong personality. The 2017 vintage blew us away. The reds, which are much better vinified, express their excellent terroir with greater precision. They are expressive and energetic.

Decanter

About wine:

For now, the wine is tight, still extremely young and dominated by Cabernet. You can sense the depth of the fruit, and it will take time for it to open up. The estate is really focusing on its red wine so that it can find its feet and develop its profile. Good quality, but give it a good five years before thinking about opening it. 2025–2040

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the estate:

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About wine:

Deep, with expressive fruitiness and a round palate, this is a very successful red wine. It ages very well, with a finish that reveals noble tannins.

About the estate:

In just ten years, this Graves cru classé has undergone one of the most significant transformations in the appellation. Under the leadership of Laurent Lebrun, the wines have reached an excellent level, and the commitment of Alexandre de Bethmann, the owner, is undeniable. The latter has mobilized significant financial resources to restructure the vineyard. It must be said that this property is absolutely magnificent! Nestled in the middle of a wooded area, it is based on a gravelly terroir located on a splendid, well-ventilated hilltop, ideal for producing very fine Cabernet Sauvignon wines. The latest vintages produced are testament to this new dynamic.

Wine Enthusiast

About wine:

The dense tannins are balanced by equally rich fruit in this wine. It comes from vineyards surrounding the medieval moated castle on the outskirts of Bordeaux. The wine is full of juicy blackberry flavors that surround a core of freshness. Both will allow the wine to age well. Drink from 2025 onwards.

James Suckling

About wine:

A solid framework of fairly fresh fruit with blackcurrant and stone fruit notes. Full-bodied, with polished, biting tannins and a juicy finish. Notes of asphalt and smoke give way to black fruit on the finish. Drink in 2022.

Le Figaro vins

About wine:

Small black fruits, Zan, vanilla. Very fresh, juicy, sapid, fruity, very long on the palate, with well-integrated tannins.

Vert de Vin

About wine:

The nose is fruity, elegant, refined, and offers beautiful depth and structure. It reveals notes of red fruits (raspberry, cherry, berries) combined with subtle hints of blackberry and blackcurrant, along with discreet hints of coffee, racy minerality, and a very subtle hint of pepper (on the finish) and toasted oak. The palate is fruity, juicy, tight and offers a nice structure, tension, richness, a beautiful acidity, roundness, a beautiful finesse as well as a nice freshness and a fine creaminess. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of crushed blackberry, crushed raspberry, crushed strawberry and subtle notes of crème de cassis combined with hints of toasted oak and a very subtle hint of sweet spices and pepper on the finish. The tannins are fine and silky. There is a very subtle hint of dark chocolate/black pepper on the finish/persistence.