Chateau Haut Beausejour, St Estephe

Description

Chateau Haut Beausejour is a red Bordeaux wine from the St Estephe wine growing appellation. It is located not far from Chateau Phelan Segur.

In Bordeaux Chateau terms, Chateau Haut Beausejour is a relative new comer. It was created in 1992 when Jean-Claude Rouzaud, oenologist and president of Champagne Louis Roederer, acquired and combined two Cru Bourgeois vineyards in the heart of the Medoc’s prestigious Saint-Estèphe appellation: Château Picard and Château Beauséjour. This formed an estate of some 31 hectares with 27 under vine. Rouzard saw great development potential. A serious program of improvement was implemented and intense work was carried out in these vineyards, restructuring them by limiting plant density. A quality charter for Château Haut-Beauséjour was drawn up, covering vine size, de-budding, green harvesting, a return to manual harvesting and double grape selection firstly in the vineyards and then again at the sorting table at the Château. In 1993, the cellars and cuverie were entirely renovated and the Château was kitted out with top-of-the-range equipment. A few years later the 17 hectares what was seen some of the lower quality vineyards were sold off, all in the pursuit of improving the wine. In 2017 the estate was purchased by Pierre Rousseau, who also owns  Château Laffitte-Carcasset.

The vineyards are planted with  50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot. The terroir is gravel and clay with some limestone. Château Haut-Beauséjour is vinified in traditional, large wood vats and aged in about 35% new, French oak barrels for about 12 months.

The 2014 Chateau Haut Beausejour is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot.