Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
For years and years, Chateau Olivier has brought together the present and the past by making wines of great art in an estate that is the stuff of legends... Fashioned by the terroir in which they are rooted, shaped by all those who work the vines, the wines of Chateau Olivier are a magnificent expression of their appellation among the six Classified Growths of Graves in red and white. Skillfully perpetuating the history of the estate, the wine-growers of Olivier help give the wines they produce the same charm and authenticity as its surrounding walls which are nearly a thousand years old.
Our ambition to develop quality further can be seen first and foremost in the dynamic, technically modern methods we use to enhance the terroir. The recent geological discoveries in the two gravel mounds of Olivier have confirmed the richness and diversity of an outstanding viticultural heritage. 11 different terroirs have been identified, passed down by those who once contributed to the building of the fine reputation of Bordeaux’s great growths. The new vat-house, re-designed to bring the very best out of each of the estate’s plots, house the year’s harvest. It is a perfect balance between ancient architecture and state-of-the-art equipment.
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.