Château Hosanna

Château Hosanna deftly marries elegance with depth and could be considered, thanks to the delicate touch of the Cabernet Franc, a feminine counterpart to Château Petrus. While Château Hosanna is unclassified, it has historically been counted among the great crus of the region. The property is situated south of Château Lafleur, west of Château Pétrus and north of Château Vieux Certan. Sharing its origin with Château Vieux Certan and Château Certan-de-May, the estate was once part of the original Certan property, belonging to the de May family before the French Revolution. For a period, the wine was sold as Château Certan-Marzelle, until it was acquired by the Giraud family in 1956, and was renamed Château Certan-Giraud.

Only the highest plateau parcels of its previous incarnation were selected to form Château Hosanna. The vineyard enjoys a terroir of red gravel and clay on “crasse de fer” which is known for producing wines of great elegance, complexity, and power. The vines are between 25 and 50 years of age, with an average of 40 years (old Cabernet Franc vines, a significant portion of which date back to 1956, contribute a unique complexity to the cru).The vineyard is composed of 79% Merlot and 21% Cabernet Franc. In 2018, winter and spring were very rainy. A late budbreak, noted on April 9th, allowed us to avoid a spring frost. The flowering, from May 23rd to 30th, went well and the potential quality was significant. The rainy spring caused a severe attack of mildew, which was thwarted thanks to the considerable efforts of our vineyard workers. Throughout the summer, a team of 60 crop-thinned, adapting the desired yield to the parcel and the age of the vines. Near-perfect balance was the reward for 16,800 hours of meticulous work. Véraison took place from July 26th to August 12th. The main characteristic of this vintage was the 1,136 hours of sunshine between June and September, a notable record of the past 50 years. Harvest, graced with sunny skies and warm temperatures, took place from September 25th to October 3rd.

Château Hosanna is aged 16-18 months in French oak barrels (50% new).

Deep ruby color. On the nose, notes of chocolate, floral, black raspberry, cherry, oak and plum are present. Soft and velvety with supple tannins and a fairly long finish. A medium to full-bodied appeal, this is silky smooth, seductive, and complex.