Vineyard to Visit - Haut Bergeron, Sauternes

For the last two-hundred years the Lamothe family has been making wines at Chateau Haut-Bergeron, one of the older vineyards in the Sauternes AOC with 81 parcels of vines totaling 35 Hectars. Their production is mainly sweet whites, but also dry whites since 1970, using semillion, sauvignon blanc et muscadelle.

One parcel is on an island in the middle of the Ciron River, which goes into L’Ilot wine, and they are currently working on creating a tour to the island which would be incredible !

There hectars include not only vines dating before WWII but even a half hectar from 1823, from before pheloxera decimated the French wine industry in the 19^th century. Bottles of wine using only the old vines are also made, in very small quantities (around two barrels a year) under the name ‘La Cuvée Speciale’.

The vineyard has also acheived HVU level 3, which is a classification for ‘Haute Valeur Environmental’, a certification given to vineyards making an effort to not only become organic but also

A press from 1929 is still in use as well, which is proudly on display near the chai. Their used oak barrels have been repurposed as whisky barrels for Bordeaux distillerie, Moon Harbor.

Tours are available Monday-Friday, even during harvest, on demand, and include a tasting.

READ MORE :

https://www.chateauhautbergeron.com/

La certification HVE explose ! La connaissez-vous ? (lefigaro.fr)