Château Haut-Marbuzet
Encyclopedia
Château Haut-Marbuzet is a Bordeaux wine
estate in the Saint-Estèphe
appellation area
of the Haut-Médoc.
Although its origins go back to the 18th century, the estate only emerged as a leading quality producer from 1952 after Hervé Duboscq acquired it.
Today, his son Henri Duboscq is the winemaker and owner of Haut-Marbuzet, along with Château Chambert-Marbuzet
and Château Tour de Marbuzet
.
Initially listed among the Cru Bourgeois
in 1932, and later promoted Grand Bourgeois Exceptionnel in 1978, the estate was classified as one of 9 Crus Bourgeois Exceptionnels in the 2003 official listing. According to David Peppercorn
, "Today, Haut-Marbuzet is widely considered of a cru classé status, well off the bottom rung".
and Montrose
, the vineyard covers 61 hectares (150.7 acre) and is planted with 50% Cabernet Sauvignon
, 40% Merlot
, and 10% Cabernet Franc
. Overlooking the Gironde estuary, it is mainly located on the gravel ridge of Marbuzet and the plateau of Long Treytin. The high proportion of merlot, rather unusual in traditional blendings, as well as a long maturing in new oak barrels, greatly contribute to the mellowness of the wine. Often described as exotic or opulent, Haut-Marbuzet wines develop a suppleness and an individual expressive character that are unusual in the normally austere style of Saint-Estèphe.
A second wine
is produced from the vines under 12 years old, under the label Château MacCarthy
, which bears the name of the Irish Jacobite
family who created the vineyard.
Bordeaux wine
A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine, to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world...
estate in the Saint-Estèphe
Saint-Estèphe
Saint-Estèphe is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Population:-Wine:Saint-Estèphe is best known as the northernmost, and one of the four major wine-growing appellations of the Médoc...
appellation area
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
of the Haut-Médoc.
Although its origins go back to the 18th century, the estate only emerged as a leading quality producer from 1952 after Hervé Duboscq acquired it.
Today, his son Henri Duboscq is the winemaker and owner of Haut-Marbuzet, along with Château Chambert-Marbuzet
Château Chambert-Marbuzet
Château Chambert-Marbuzet is a Bordeaux wine estate of 5 hectares located in the St.-Estèphe appellation area. It belongs to the family of Henri Duboscq....
and Château Tour de Marbuzet
Château Tour de Marbuzet
Château Tour de Marbuzet is a Bordeaux wine estate in the appellation St.-Estèphe. It was originally part of the great Château MacCarthy estate, divided up and sold in 1854 to Mr Laurent Mathé, a renowned viticulturist of his time...
.
Initially listed among the Cru Bourgeois
Cru Bourgeois
The Cru Bourgeois classification lists some of the high quality wines from the Left Bank Bordeaux wine regions that were not included in the 1855 Classification of Classed Growths, or Grands Crus Classés...
in 1932, and later promoted Grand Bourgeois Exceptionnel in 1978, the estate was classified as one of 9 Crus Bourgeois Exceptionnels in the 2003 official listing. According to David Peppercorn
David Peppercorn
David Peppercorn is a British Master of Wine, French wine importer and author, known for his books about the wines of Bordeaux and long experience in his field, having collected tasting notes since the late 1950s. He is married to fellow MW and wine writer Serena Sutcliffe. They were the first...
, "Today, Haut-Marbuzet is widely considered of a cru classé status, well off the bottom rung".
Production
Tucked between châteaux Cos d'EstournelChâteau Cos d'Estournel
Château Cos d'Estournel is a winery in the Saint-Estèphe appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. It is also the name of the red wine produced by this property...
and Montrose
Château Montrose
Château Montrose is a winery in the Saint-Estèphe appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. The wine produced here was classified as one of fifteen Deuxièmes Crus in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855....
, the vineyard covers 61 hectares (150.7 acre) and is planted with 50% Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
, 40% Merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
, and 10% Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone - as in the Loire's Chinon...
. Overlooking the Gironde estuary, it is mainly located on the gravel ridge of Marbuzet and the plateau of Long Treytin. The high proportion of merlot, rather unusual in traditional blendings, as well as a long maturing in new oak barrels, greatly contribute to the mellowness of the wine. Often described as exotic or opulent, Haut-Marbuzet wines develop a suppleness and an individual expressive character that are unusual in the normally austere style of Saint-Estèphe.
A second wine
Second wine
Second wine is a term commonly associated with Bordeaux wine to refer to a second label wine made from cuvee not selected for use in the Grand vin or first label...
is produced from the vines under 12 years old, under the label Château MacCarthy
Château MacCarthy
Château MacCarthy is a wine from the St.-Estèphe appellation area, Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux region, France.Once a significant and independent estate, it was bought by the Duboscq family of Château Haut-Marbuzet in 1988 and the brand has since then been used to label the second wine of their...
, which bears the name of the Irish Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
family who created the vineyard.