Winemaker Notes
A dark, deep, red color. Complex nose of fresh and ripe fruits, in the background spicy notes are also present. Starts with vivacity on the palate with dense tannins structure. A good texture, the elegance of the fruit is always present. A very complete and high definition blend, worthy of the finest vintages produced on the property.
Blend: 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This estate with its moated castle is producing some very fine wines. This latest vintage shows both power and density with concentrated blackberry flavor from the ripe fruits. The wine will need time before maturity.
Barrel Sample: 93-95 -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Very deep purple-black colored, the 2020 Olivier offers vibrant notions of wild blueberries, blackberry preserves and cassis, plus hints of clove oil, cinnamon stick and tree bark, with a waft of dusty soil. The medium-bodied palate is elegantly played with soft tannins and seamless freshness supporting the restrained black and blue fruit flavors, finishing earthy.
Barrel Sample: 91-93 -
Jeb Dunnuck
Lots of red and black currants, loamy earth, leather, and dried herb notes emerge from the 2020 Chateau Olivier, a medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated, textured 2020 with some serious charm. I love its balance, and it's complex, with ripe, velvety tannins and a great finish. Drink this beauty over the coming 15 years.
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James Suckling
Flamboyant red fruits and stone with some bark character. It’s medium-bodied with a layered tannin character. Delicious and bright finish. Polished.
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.