Neal Rosenthal has been importing Haut-Segottes since the mid-‘70s, just five years after its current leader, Mme. Meunier, took over. Those deep roots tell you just about everything you need to know about this artisanal... Read More

Neal Rosenthal has been importing Haut-Segottes since the mid-‘70s, just five years after its current leader, Mme. Meunier, took over. Those deep roots tell you just about everything you need to know about this artisanal producer. She farms organically, harvests manually, ferments long and slow with natural yeasts in concrete, and ages in mostly old wood.

Most interestingly, Meunier is not afraid of Cabernet Franc. Maybe it’s because one of her vineyards is so close to Cheval Blanc, but whatever the reason, her flagship wine is over 50% Cab Franc, even though she has more Merlot planted overall. She also has plenty of gravel soils and some of that iron. This all works together to give aromatics of subtle complexity, with floral notes and something earthier that work beautifully with the redder fruit flavors. The palate has similar complexity and a structure that makes the wine perfect for traditional Bordeaux foods like lamb, duck or beef, and that also guarantees a long, long life in the cellar.