Alain Barreau

The Barreau family has been making wine in the commune of Grezillac for six generations, farming vineyards on the highest slopes overlooking Saint-Emilion in the Entre-Deux-Mers appellation of Bordeaux. While the region is best known for its reds, the Barreaus have built a reputation for something more unusual: a 100% Semillon white that Robert Parker once named one of the finest-value whites on the planet. Chateau Haut-Garriga shows what Semillon can do when given the attention usually reserved for Sauvignon Blanc - rich, textured and waxy, with real depth and ageing potential, yet priced for everyday drinking. It makes a fascinating, food-friendly alternative for anyone who enjoys white Bordeaux or white Burgundy. The family has also branched out with the Max Barreau OG Orange, an organic skin-contact wine that brings a more contemporary, natural-wine sensibility to the same Entre-Deux-Mers vineyards. Together, the two wines show a Bordeaux family equally at home with classic and modern styles. Wines Direct brings both directly to Ireland.