The long history of Haverlan vineyards

The story of the Haverlan vineyards began, not with the arrival of Dominique Haverlan, but with the success of the Gaubert family, originally from Portets. Having made their fortune in the shipping trade, they decided to go into winegrowing in 1796. They decided to go for big things and called on the services of Gabriel Durand, who was then involved in the construction of the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux, for the work they were undertaking on their land.

Over the years, the Gaubert family lost control of their land, like many other Bordeaux families who suffered from the wars and crises of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But they left behind their home, which was listed as a historical monument at the time. Then Dominique Haverlan enters the scene. Coming from a long tradition of winegrowing in the Bordeaux region, he decided to embark on his own adventure, buying what is now Vieux Château Gaubert in 1988. He restored the house, which had fallen into disrepair, as well as the vineyard. After a few years, he rose to the top of the famous Graves appellation.

One success followed another for Dominique Haverlan, who bought vineyards all over the Graves to create what we know today as Vignobles Haverlan. His estates include Châteaux Pontet-Lamartine and La Prade, which benefit from the famous Pessac-Léognan terroirs, and Château de la Brède, once the home of Montesquieu, a leading figure in the Enlightenment movement and a great advocate of Bordeaux terroir.

In 2018, after winemaking in the United States and New Zealand, Romain Haverlan arrived at the estate to handle the wine/marketing side of things. On his arrival, he launched the Bordeaux Rosé (Villa Gaubert), which met with great success and enabled the company to diversify its customer base.

Graves wines

As is customary in the Graves region, Dominique Haverlan has chosen to produce both white and red wines in this vineyard at the gateway to Bordeaux and the Médoc. On the whites, we find a common framework, representative of the best the appellation has to offer: freshness in the form of citrus aromas balanced by notes of exotic fruit. A hint of herbs and salt remains on the palate after tasting, a sure sign that the whites from Haverlan vineyards are the perfect match for seafood dishes, whether oysters from the nearby Arcachon Basin or the simply grilled catch of the day.

The reds are in keeping with Bordeaux tradition, with a balanced blend of Cabernet-Sauvignon and Merlot, and the use of traditional oak barrels to give the wines their character. On the palate, it’s a festival of aromas, from very ripe black fruits to spices like vanilla and gray pepper, with vegetal notes of bracken. These are great wines that should be left in the cellar for a few years to reach their full potential.

Pessac-Léognan wines

Pessac-Léognan is to Graves what the Grands Crus are to Burgundy: a small appellation set in some of the finest terroirs in the vineyard. The Haverlan estates are fortunate enough to have vines there from which they produce some of Bordeaux’s finest red wines. In the tradition of Graves wines, the Bordeaux tradition is respected here, but with a new level of finesse and complexity. Don’t hesitate to bring out these bottles for special occasions, and keep them for a few years.