At 72.5ha Larrivet Haut Brion is one of the largest properties of the Pessac-Leognan appellation, and one that has benefitted greatly from continued investment from its new owners. Working with Michel Rolland as consultant since 1993, and Stephane Derenoncourt since 2015, the estate manager is Bruno Lemoine (of Chateau Montrose fame), and all three have been instrumental in bringing this property into the spotlight. Perhaps key to the rejuvenation of this estate is work both in the vineyard and the cellar on precision: identification of micro-plots, gentle handling of the grapes and wine, plot-by-plot vinification and maturation (using a wide range of different containers, adapted to the specific characteristics of each plot and vintage), and late blending. The estate boasts a mosaic of terroirs that has allowed the team to analyse and restructure plots based on the suitability of different clones to specific areas within the vineyard, thus getting the very best out of what their land has to offer. The 2022 Bordeaux Blancs are, in general, particularly rich examples of their ilk that promise wide drinking windows and early approachability.
