Château Haut-Marbuzet 2017

Characteristics and tasting advice for Château Haut-Marbuzet 2017

Tasting

Color

The wine displays a deep ruby-red hue with bright scarlet highlights, attesting to optimal grape ripeness.

Nose

The nose opens with expressive aromas of ripe dark fruits, notably blackcurrant, wild blackberry and plum, accompanied by floral notes of violet. With aeration, nuances of vanilla, mocha and toasted hazelnut emerge, rounded out by subtle touches of licorice and spice.

Palate

The entry on the palate is smooth and refined, revealing lovely, vibrant fruit freshness. The mid-palate develops a velvety, silky texture, carried by fine, elegant tannins. A solid tannic structure supports a long, lingering finish with mineral and spicy accents, featuring notes of graphite and crushed stone that add depth.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs perfectly with grilled or roasted red meats, notably beef fillet with sauce. It also goes very well with herb-crusted lamb preparations, feathered game, as well as aged cheeses such as Comté or Livarot. Dishes featuring wild mushrooms, such as a porcini fricassée, also make an excellent match.

Serving and cellaring

Château Haut-Marbuzet 2017 is ideally enjoyed at a temperature of 16 to 18°C. One hour of aeration in a decanter allows it to fully express its aromatic complexity. This wine can be enjoyed now and until around 2035.

An opulent and refined Saint-Estèphe

The estate

Founded in the 18th century, Château Haut-Marbuzet experienced significant growth in 1952 under the impetus of Hervé Duboscq. Located in Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux, the estate now spans 70 hectares. Run by Henri Duboscq and his sons, the château stands out for its predominantly Merlot plantings and aging in new barrels, giving its wines a rare creaminess.

The vineyard

The Château Haut-Marbuzet vineyard benefits from an exceptional location on the Marbuzet hillside in Saint-Estèphe, with a due-south exposure facing the Gironde estuary. The soils are composed of Günzian gravel on the surface, resting on a clay-limestone subsoil that ensures excellent drainage while retaining sufficient moisture. The vines, averaging around 30 years of age, are planted at high density. The grape variety mix, atypical for the appellation, favors Merlot, reflecting the suitability of clay soils and the philosophy of voluptuousness sought by the Duboscq family.

The vintage

The 2017 vintage in Bordeaux was marked by a hot, dry season, encouraging fruit concentration and a significant accumulation of sugars. Summer conditions required careful management to preserve freshness and balance in the wines. Despite climatic challenges, the harvest produced grapes at optimal ripeness, combining aromatic richness with tannic structure.

Vinification and aging

Vinification of Château Haut-Marbuzet 2017 is carried out on a parcel-by-parcel basis in concrete, stainless-steel and wooden vats, allowing precise control of fermentation temperatures. Hand harvesting is followed by a rigorous double sorting of the grapes. Aging takes place over 18 months in 100% new French oak barrels, the estate’s distinctive signature since the 1980s. This method lends the wine its aromatic complexity while promoting tannin polymerization.

Grape varieties

Merlot (40%)
Cabernet Sauvignon (50%)
Cabernet Franc (10%)