WINE TASTING NOTES

ABOUT THE WINE

Appellation | Pessac Léognan

Grape |  70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon

Ageing | 35% new barrels for 12 months

Tasting Notes | Well balanced wine being fruity and aromatic. Long taste on the palate with elegant spices

Pairing | Mushroom risotto, barbecued meat, duck dishes

Drinking | Drinking now - 2025

Critic Notes / Awards | James Suckling 91/100. Parker 89/100

ABOUT THE CHÂTEAU

Château Olivier is in contention for one of the oldest properties in Bordeaux. Bordeaux wine historians believe the estate dates back as far as the 11th century. Some ancient remnants of the original buildings can be seen close to the east pavilion on the lower portions of the property.
Those ancient beginnings are how Château Olivier is actually one of the few castles in the Bordeaux region. There is even a moat and drawbridge as well. Chateau Olivier is worth the trip to see.
The next era for Château Olivier came into being like many of the top Bordeaux chateaux, through marriage and a dowry. In 1663, Pierre Penel, the Baron of La Brede married Marie de Lasserre. She was the daughter of the lord of Olivier. Her dowry was the vineyard that we know of today as Château Olivier.
In 1882, there was a catastrophic fire and Château Olivier needed to be rebuilt. The new owners chose a Troubadour style, which was unique for not only Graves, but in Bordeaux as well. In 1867, Chateau Olivier was purchased by the mayor of Bordeaux, Alexandre de Bethmann. The de Bethmann family, which has their ancestral roots in Germany, own a very large banking operation, Bethmann Bank.
Château Olivier was not the families first foray into owning a Bordeaux vineyard, at one point in time, they also owned Chateau Gruaud Larose in St. Julien. Château Olivier continues to remain the hands of the de Bethmann family today.
Almost a century later, Château Olivier was officially listed as one of Gironde’s Sites Pittoresques and became a protected structure. In 1953, the chateau, its outbuildings, moat and fountains, were all classified as historic monuments.
For a period of time, the negociant firm of Eschenhauer managed the wine making and sales, under a lease agreement which was terminated in 1981. Jean-Jacques de Bethmann managed Château Olivier until July, 2012, when he passes away. He was ably succeeded by his son, American born and educated, Alexandre de Bethmann, who has overseen a noticeable increase in quality, especially in their white wines

Current Owner: Bathmann Family

Soils: Clay-limestone et gravel sois with an exceptional variety of quartz

MATCHING RECIPE

Mushroom risotto