BKWine Pick: Château Haut Bertinerie, Premières Côtes de Blaye, Bordeaux

Château Haut-Bertinerie is the leading estate in Premières Côtes de Blaye, just east of Médoc on the other side of the estuary Gironde. The red wines are made from old Merlot (65%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (35%) vines. It is full bodied with some spiciness and what the French call ‘torrefacion’ (the slightly burned aroma from roasting coffee) and with good fruit. The white is also good, fresh with just a touch of wood. The chateau was bought in 1961 by Daniel Bantegnies and is run today by his two sons Eric and Frantz, both oenologists.

Read about more of our favourite producers and find the contact details on my Producer Page.