Château Haut-Plantey· Saint-Émilion
About the domain.
Château Haut-Plantey has stayed in the Plantey family since 1890, four generations now, on seven hectares of Saint-Émilion. It is the kind of small, family-held property that rarely leaves the region, which is most of its appeal to me.
The vines sit on sandy clay over limestone, planted to Merlot with Cabernet Franc and a little Cabernet Sauvignon. Estate-bottled, worked simply, with no ambition to be anything other than honest Saint-Émilion.
I keep a short list of growers like this, wines with no reputation to trade on, only what is in the glass.
ParcelLieu-ditAppellationClassHectarePlant. yr
P / 01Grand Vin parcelsSaint-Émilion Grand Cru▌ Grand Cru5.00 ha1965–1990
P / 02Young vine parcelsSaint-Émilion Grand Cru▌ Grand Cru2.00 ha2005
2020 · MMXX
Open, fruit-forward.
Open, fruit-forward.
80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Red and black fruit, cedar, medium tannin.
2018 · MMXVIII
Generous, ripe.
Generous, ripe.
Warm year gives a fuller wine. Plum, licorice, soft finish. Drink from 2025.