Tasting notes
Medium-bodied red with flavors of ripe red fruits, subtle oak, and hints of spice. Pairs well with grilled meats, roast vegetables, sausage and mash and hard cheeses.
Why we recommend this wine
When visiting Bordeaux it is worth the effort to visit the minor appellations that can produce great value wines. The region of Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux which is located southwest of the city of Bordeaux on the banks of the Garonne river is a good example. This is a great Merlot dominated Bordeaux blend from a family-owned winemaker.
The wine
The vines are planted on Clay-Limestone and Clay-Gravel soils by the Garonne River, where, as the winemaker says, the vines can see the water but won’t get their feet wet. A blend of 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon that undergo a 30 day maceration with rémontage and délestage. Part of the cuvée spends 6 months in French oak.
The wine estate
Originally from the Alsace & Champagne, the family has assembled 85 hectares of vineyards across 87 parcels and located across 5 villages (Rions, Béguey, Laroque, Capian, Cardan, & Soulignac). Their vineyards feature a diversity of soils, climates, and grapes, resulting in wines that are a true reflection of all that the Entre-Deux-Mers region has to offer. Château Haut-Rian is situated on the edge of the Garonne River.
As a family-owned and operated wine estate they are committed to practices that will ensure generous harvests for future generations. They are Terra Vitis , Haute Valeur Environnementale and Bee Friendly certified. This means that they are audited every year to check that they work in a sustainable way.
enchateauhautrian.com
Food and wine
This versatile Bordeaux pairs well with a range of dishes. Try it with herb-roasted chicken or grilled lamb chops. For vegetarians, it complements mushroom risotto or grilled eggplant dishes beautifully. Refer also to our food and wine pairing guide, click here.
Did you know?
When wine is fermenting in open top tanks the skins, seeds and stalks rise to the top and form a crust. Rémontage and délestage are similar in that both techniques pump the juice over the crust. In rémontage the juice is pumped from the bottom of the vat onto the crust.. In Délestage (aka “Rack and Return”) all the liquid is drained into another tank or vessel and then pumped back to the original fermenter over the top of the skins. It is done to introduce oxygen, moderate temperature, and encourage the extraction of colour, flavour and tannin from the skins, seeds and stalks.