Château Brown, Pessac-Léognan (Bordeaux, France) 2015

 According to co-owner Jean-Christophe Mau in a recent webinar, “2015 was a great vintage in Bordeaux, one of the best since 2005.  With our Graves soil, of course, the majority is Cabernet Sauvignon, 55 percent, with a little Petit Verdot, and the rest is Merlot.”  The color is dark ruby with amber tints on the rim, reflecting a bit of aging.  The wine is smooth with integrated flavors of cassis and black cherry with savory notes lifted with bright acidity and finishing with silky smooth tannins.  The 148-acre wine estate is located about 3 miles from the bustling city of Bordeaux.  Only 35 acres of that estate are planted to vines, 30 acres to red grapes five acres to white grapes.  Much of the estate is dedicated to trees, hedges, wetlands, flower beds and beehives to encourage and maintain biodiversity.  He notes that their farming practices are not organic, but their goal is biodiversity and to reduce their production of CO2 .