The first harvests in Pessac-Léognan got underway as early as the end of August: after Château Carbonnieux and Château Haut-Brion, it is now the turn of Château Brown, which will be kicking off its grape-picking campaign on 1st September. Precision work in prospect…
The Sauvignon Blanc grapes will be the first to be picked at Château Brown, immediately followed by the Semillons. These two varieties cover all five hectares of white grapes on the 29-hectare estate.
Certain Merlots set aside for the Château’s rosé wine will also be picked this week.
The remainder of the red grapes will not be picked before 20 September (compared with 7 October in 2014).
The health of the crop is good overall and perfect among the reds. Jean-Christophe Mau, the owner of Château Brown, and his team are nonetheless wary of the rot potentially lying in wait for the Semillons, which have therefore undergone painstaking leaf-stripping operations in order to provide the grapes with optimal aeration.
The damp month of August (more than 100 mm of rainfall) and the recent storms diluted the fruit somewhat, but fortunately the return of the sunshine in recent days has restored the concentration of the grapes.
Ever willing to share their passion and their expertise, the team at Château Brown will be welcoming several primary and secondary school classes during the harvesting, in order to pass on the latest advances in rational vine management to the future generation. A busy schedule ahead for both the estate and the schoolkids!
