The 2015 vintage in Bordeaux is very highly-regarded, and as wines from the vintage enter the market, many are met with bated breath in anticipation of their arrival. Château Haut Ségottes is such a wine.

Château Haut Ségottes is a classic Saint-Émilion producer that has been owned by the same family since 1860. The current proprietor, Mme. Danielle Meunier, “vigneronne extraordinaire”, is the fourth generation of her family to oversee this twenty-two-acre estate.

From the importer’s website (Neal Rosenthal):

Meunier’s great-grandfather purchased the estate around 1860 and had earned gold medals for his wine as early as 1912 at the Concours Agricole in Paris. In 1959, the estate began to bottle its wine in earnest. In 1972 Madame Meunier took the reins of production and we can proudly stake our claim as one of her first and most loyal clients: we have been purchasing her wines since the 1977 vintage.

The twenty-two-acres of Château Haut Segottes are all planted within the St. Emilion Grand Cru appellation. The vineyards are planted 60% to Merlot, 35% to Cabernet Franc, and 5% to Cabernet Sauvignon. The position of the vineyards within the appellation is outstanding. Parcels are found within the “lieu-dits” of Fortin (across from Château La Dominique and approximately 1,000 feet from Château Cheval Blanc); Chauvin; and the highly regarded “Plateau de Corbin”. Château Haut Ségottes bottles between 30,000 to 40,000 bottles per year.

Château Haut-Ségottes is a very traditional Saint-Émilion wine. Harvesting of the grapes is entirely manual. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks and the young wine is aged in oak for approximately 18 months. New cooperage is limited to 20%. The wine is not filtered before bottling.

 

Although the vineyards are planted to 60% Merlot, the ultimate blend that is bottled as Château Haut-Ségottes is actually a majority of Cabernet Franc – almost 65%. The dominance of Cabernet Franc gives the wine considerable structure and makes it exceptionally age worthy. Approximately 10,000 bottles per year are imported into the USA.

The 2015 wine is quite the little powerhouse. On the nose the wine exhibits bright cherry aromas with hints of cedar and dried herbs. Full-bodied with firm tannin and moderate acidity, well-balanced. Dark fruit core on the palate, tight with a hint of greenness, likely due to the higher percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend. Long finish, somewhat closed, but showing a touch of spice on the aftertaste. Built for moderate aging, the wine should improve for the next 15 years, or more. The wine is a strong value, with an average retail of around $41.00 per bottle, pre-discount.

Cheers!