Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Very backward, with a loamy wall of grip in front of the core of dark plum, currant and fig fruit. Features a long, bramble- and tar-filled finish. There's a lot going on here, but the parts are still wrestling with one another. Shows great energy overall, however, so this is easily worth one's patience.
Barrel Sample: 92-95 -
James Suckling
A red with layers of berries, dark chocolate and stones that follow through to a full body, firm tannins and a fresh center palate.
Barrel Sample: 91-92 -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Chateau Branon 2014 is a blend of 50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon that is matured in 100% new oak. The wood element stands out on the nose although there is sufficient fruit underneath to support it. The palate is medium-bodied with dense, quite rigid tannin. There is good density here, firm in the mouth, a "solid" Pessac-Leognan that will hopefully develop more personality on the finish. Reflecting on this wine over several minutes, I felt that less oak, say 60% to 70% would have been preferable and allow the terroir to show through.
Barrel Sample: 90-92
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Recognized for its superior reds as well as whites, Pessac-Léognan on the Left Bank claims classified growths for both—making it quite unique in comparison to its neighboring Médoc properties.
Pessac’s Chateau Haut-Brion, the only first growth located outside of the Médoc, is said to have been the first to conceptualize fine red wine in Bordeaux back in the late 1600s. The estate, along with its high-esteemed neighbors, La Mission Haut-Brion, Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Pique-Caillou and Chateau Pape-Clément are today all but enveloped by the city of Bordeaux. The rest of the vineyards of Pessac-Léognan are in clearings of heavily forested area or abutting dense suburbs.
Arid sand and gravel on top of clay and limestone make the area unique and conducive to growing Sémillon and Sauvignon blanc as well as the grapes in the usual Left Bank red recipe: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and miniscule percentages of Petit Verdot and Malbec.
The best reds will show great force and finesse with inky blue and black fruit, mushroom, forest, tobacco, iodine and a smooth and intriguing texture.
Its best whites show complexity, longevity and no lack of exotic twists on citrus, tropical and stone fruit with pronounced floral and spice characteristics.