Chateau Puech-Haut

Château Puech-Haut is a Languedoc wine estate, founded by Gérard Bru in 1981. The château is situated close to Montpellier, in the Saint-Drézéry commune. The estate's predominant grapes are Grenache, Syrah and Carignan for the reds, and Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier for the whites.

The land was originally owned by the Bru family, but had been sold until Gérard Bru bought it back to establish a vineyard. Bru's father had planted olive trees, which were largely replaced with vines, leaving roughly 6 hectares (15 acres) of olive trees intact. He continues to make an olive oil that is sold on the estate. A further 6ha holds a plot of oak trees where black truffles grow.

Château Puech-Haut was initially just a grower, selling its fruit to wineries. It wasn't until 1996 that Bru began to vinify grapes from the vineyard's fruit. Since then the château has brought in a number of prominent consultants including Michel Rolland, Claude Gros, and Philippe Cambie. The best-known wine is the Prestige Rouge, a full-bodied blend of Grenache and Syrah from 40-70 year old vines, which is fermented in concrete. The winery, however, offers a wide range with as many as 10 red wines, two white wines and three rosés. 

The estate vineyards are biodynamic, but fruit is also sourced from other growers. Château Puech-Haut prides itself on the fuller-bodied characteristics of its wines, taking advantage of the Mediterranean climate and the heat of southern French summers.