I have always been attracted to the vineyard, wines and family set-up of Haut Marbuzet in the faraway lands of St Estephe as outsiders into this traditionally closed world where vineyards are inherited over generations. Over the years I have heard snippets of the family’s fabulous ‘underdog’ story come good and have recounted it to hundreds of clients particularly Americans who are more used to these ‘rags to riches’ stories. (It's rarer in France to get the right diploma and who you know in the right circles).
Yesterday, I was fortunate to be received by Hugh Duboscq, 3rd generation of this unusual Bordeaux family and he was able to fill me in on some details I missed and answer my questions. It started with nothing except a dream and the passion of one man, Grandfather Hervé. He was originally from the Gers (more the land of Armagnac) and was taken on by the Chemin de Fer French train SNCF at Langon (they would take on the young with potential and train them from bottom to top including playing rugby – this was his school). St Estèphe, way up at the top of the Haut Medoc peninsular, was the furthest but easiest way to get his feet under the table as the vineyard’s perceived value was lower than the dry and sweet white wines being in the Graves and Sauternes made around Langon in the 50s.
The biggest obstacle to overcome in those days was the closed wine merchant ‘négociants’ system of buying wines – they were not interested in this newcomer’s wine. So through necessity, they had to go directly to the customers. Restaurants and private customers – even today they have several thousand on their lists. Operations are run from St Estèphe in a small office that is open on Saturdays – very unusual for the Medoc.
They wanted to make a wine that was immediately ‘pleasurable’ planting more of the ‘easier’ bigger grapes of the plush Merlot and 100% of new oak (today at 800€ per barrel replaced each year!) which gives its sweet tannins easily.
The traditional Bordeaux wine circuit were not interested in the wines of St Estephe at the price that the Duboscq family wanted – it was one of the poorest places in the whole of Bordeaux to by land and grapes. Today it sells for 3 million a hectare and is in demand by the two giants that are neighbours, Cos d’Estournel (Michel Reybier Mr ‘Cochonou’ saucission from Lyon) and the Bouygues brothers of the massive telecoms company own and run Montrose.
Choosing Merlot was a stoke of luck. In St Estephe we see the rolling hills covered with vineyards – the top of the hills (perfect for Cabernet Sauvignon) are covered in gravel stones and the bottom of the hills the limestone is exposed and the clay that covers them (perfect for Merlot). Traditionally Cabernet Sauvignon was planted even in these cold clayey soils. As it is late harvesting the grapes of these Cab Sauv wines did not have the time to fully ripen. This gave St Estèphe a reputation in the past for hard wines. Today that is changing – in fact the blend of St Estèphe is more like a Margaux with its high level of Merlot of between around 40% (and only 60% Cab Sauv) and here at Haut Marbuzet it is 50%. If the year is very hot and dry, St Estèphe due to its underlying clay and limestone provides the vines with just enough water reserves. So this is good news for global warming – this will increasingly be a great source of fresh wines!
Haut Marbuzet Tasting
We tasted a 2019 which I loved for its plushness of nicely ripe fruit (not over-ripe) but underlying freshness which lifted the wine. 2021 too was aromatic, lighter but well-made. It is 80 year old Henri, Hervés son (without consultant) who has always made the wine and now (well he is 50) with his son Bruno to hand on the reins. They are close to the vines and make the wine each year according to what nature has given. Henri’s dining room looks onto the barrel cellar and one gets the feeling there is no barrier between where he lives and ‘works’ almost making the wine by osmosis.
The power of the St Estèphe terroir is there, with youth reined in but with age it comes to the forefront as the primary fruit characteristics soften and we get the earthiness, tobacco, come through but not in a dusty old cupboard way – more earthy elegance.
The family and its wines have now been accepted into the traditional Bordeaux wine trade (La place de Bordeaux) Im sure mostly due to the demand from the consumers. I think though they are quite pleased that they can do their thing as they always have and dont need to say yes to the frequent demands to buy their vineyard plots.
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