From the lands of Montesquieu: Haut-Vigneau in Martillac
The land of Château Haut-Vigneau has a long history. The property is located in the municipality of Martillac and belonged in the 18th century to the Domaine des Barons de Montesquieu, who was a writer and winemaker. Wine was already being grown on the “Vigneau de Haut” plot at that time. The current winery, however, is young. Eric Perrin founded it in the late 1980s. He is also a co-owner of Château Carbonnieux.
The impetus was the planned Technopole Bordeaux Montesquieu in Martillac. The winemaking families Perrin and Lurton wanted to preserve the old viticultural terroir. Thus, Haut-Vigneau and the neighboring Château Lafont-Menaut, which belongs to Eric's brother Philibert, were created. In 1988, the first vines were planted. Before that, pine trees that completely covered the area had to be cleared.
Hand-picking, stainless steel and barrique: the way of working in the cellar
The vineyard is located on deep Graves soils of gravel and sand. According to the appellation, it covers 24.5 hectares, of which 23 hectares are red and 1.5 hectares are white varieties. The red wines consist of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot. For the white wine, 80% Sauvignon and 20% Sémillon are in the vineyard. The white vines were planted significantly later than the red ones.
The grapes are picked by hand. The cuvaison lasts about 20 days and takes place in stainless steel tanks. The red wine then matures for 15 to 18 months in barriques, about 20% of which are new. The wood is intended to accompany the fruit and not cover it up. The technical manager is Karine Laroche. She works in a cellar that relies on modern technology.
Cabernet fruit with Graves structure: the wines of Haut-Vigneau
The red Château Haut-Vigneau shows dark fruits such as blackberry and cassis. Added to this are fine roasted notes from the aging. The appellation describes the style as a mixture of power, finesse and elegance. The Cabernet share gives the wines structure and firm tannins. The Merlot brings fullness to the blend. James Suckling rated the 2020 vintage with 92 points.
On average, about 120,000 bottles of red wine are produced, plus 8,500 bottles of white wine. The scallop shell on the label shows the connection to the Carbonnieux family. If you want to get to know Pessac-Léognan, you will find a classic Bordeaux with Graves origin here. It goes well with grilled entrecôte, lamb shank with rosemary or mature hard cheese.
