Chateau Olivier Rouge Grand Cru Classe de Graves Pessac-Leognan AOC 2018

Chateau Olivier is one of the six estates authorized to produce red and white wine according to the Graves classification of 1959. Chateau Olivier, previously known as la Salle-Léognan, emerged during the time when English knights led by the Black Prince fought the French for control of the Bordeaux region — Aquitaine, in 1152. Historians date the first construction to the 11th-12th century, the remains of which can be seen in the lower part of the eastern pavilion. At that time, the forests of Léognan were home to many wild boars, wolves, and deer, which the Black Prince loved to hunt. He transformed Chateau Olivier into a hunting lodge. Since then, the Chateau has changed many owners, each of whom contributed to the appearance of the castle. In the 17th century, Chateau Olivier was already a small castle with a wine cellar. In 1867, the estate was acquired by the family of Alexandre de Betmann — the mayor of Bordeaux, whose descendant, Jean-Jacques de Betmann, currently owns the castle. Since the 1990s, the managing director has been Laurent Lebrun, who has significantly improved the quality of the wines produced. Chateau Olivier is located 11 km from Bordeaux on 220 hectares, most of which are occupied by forests and pastures, while only 55 hectares are allocated for vineyards. The soils are very complex in composition: gravel, clay, and limestone with inclusions of quartz and silica. The planting density is 8000-10000 vines per hectare. The average age of the vines is 25 years.