Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesBarrel Sample: 92-95
Barrel Sample: 90-92
Barrel Sample: 91-92
It is mainly the diversity of its soil that gives the wine its character. The exceptional soil consists of clay and gravel washed up from the Pyrenees caused by the meanderings of the Garonne over time.
In former years the wine had indisputable fame as the old ruins of the Chateau and the chai testify. One of the Gironde’s oldest stone wine presses can be found here. An ancient book - "Les richesses gastronomiques de la France, les vins des Bordeaux", written by Charles Lorbac, says that the merchants Schröder and Schyler bought the 1865 vintage at a price of 1800 F (Germinal) per "tonneau". The official documents of the classification of 1855 indicate that BRANON, at that price, was classified as a 4eme cru.
Recently Chateau Branon has made an incredible comeback and now produces 5000 bottles of wine composed of 50% Merlot and 50 % Cabernet Sauvignon.
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.
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.