Bordeaux Tasting - Celebrating 10 Years of Wine Tasting Classes!

To celebrate my 10th anniversary of conducting wine tasting classes at the Mt Airy Learning Tree (MALT) in Philadelphia, we returned to the region featured in my very first class in 2009 - Bordeaux!  Many fine vintages have made their mark in this world-renowned region in the past ten years, and we had the opportunity to sample a select cross-section of both reds and whites.  Although the price points are noticeably higher than most selections in my classes, they are definitely worth the investment, especially for the reds that may be cellared for many years to come.  In fact, they will continue to improve over time, mellowing out the tannins and melding the flavors together into a cornucopia of sensations for the nose and palate.

We necessarily sampled the red wines at an early stage (2014/2015 vintages), but already the complexity, depth and expressiveness are very apparent and showed the promise of the greatness to come several years down the road. My personal favorites were the Château d'Aguillhe,  Château Kirwan and Château Haut-Batailley (The whites are fully enjoyable at this point in time.)

If you truly want to experience what all the fuss is about with regard to Bordeaux wines, I highly recommend splurging a little on one of these fine reds, and sock it away for at least 5-10 years in a cool, dark environment, and then share it with someone special.  You'll be glad you did!  

And here's some info on how to store a wine for a long period of time:

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-store-wine-for-a-long-time-2015-8?utm_source=msn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=msn-slideshow&utm_campaign=bodyurl

A votre santé!

Château Tour de Bonnet Blanc 2016

Appellation : Appellation Entre Deux Mers Contrôlée

Varietals : Sauvignon Blanc ; Semillon ; Muscadelle

Production/Tasting Notes : Crisp, fruity (citrus, pear), tangy with lemon-rind and crushed stone character; medium bodied;  bright acidity; lively finish. (91 point James Suckling)

Food Pairing: light hors d’oeuvres; apéritif

Alcohol: 12%

Château Doisy Daene Blanc 2016

Appellation: Appellation Bordeaux Contrôlée

Varietals: Sauvignon Blanc; Semillon

Production/Tasting Notes:  Bouquet of white peach, orange pith and citrus notes seamlessly integrated with the oak; extremely well-balanced palate with nice touch of  acidity;  precise, razor-sharp finish. (93 points, Wine Advocate)

Food  Pairing: light seafood, dessert, or on its own as an apéritif

Alcohol: 12%

 Château Garraud Lalande de Pomerol 2015

Appellation: Appellation Lalande de Pomerol Contrôlée

Varietals: 93% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc,3% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Production/Tasting Notes: Aging:25% in new oak barrels, 33% in 1 and 2 year-old barrels, 42% in vats.  Intense walnut, plum and blackberry character; full-bodied, velvety. (93 points, James Suckling)

Food Pairing: beer tenderloin; grilled duck breast; roast leg of lamb; entrecote steak

Alcohol: 13.5%

Château Grand Corbin Manuel 2015

Appellation: Saint Emilion AOC

Varietals: 80% Merlot - 15 % Cabernet Franc - 5 % Cabernet Sauvignon

Production/Tasting Notes: Hand-picked; grapes are sorted out in the vineyard then in the cellar thanks to a vibrating sorting table; destemming by hand; winemaking in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks (tank capacity from 60 to 70hl); cold maceration for 3 days; malolactic fermentation in barrels; vatting time 20 days; maturing in new French oak barrels ( 50 %) and one-wine French oak barrels ( 50 %).   
Plum pastries with violets and spiced blueberry fruits; impressive plushness on the palate with a rich, fleshy appeal; round, ample mouth feel; well-built structure; long finish.

Food pairing: beer tenderloin; grilled duck breast; roast leg of lamb; entrecote steak

Alcohol:  13.5%

Château D’Aiguilhe Côtes de Castillon 2015

Appellation: Côtes de Castillon AOC

Varietal: 80% Merlot; 20% Cabernet Franc

Production/Tasting Notes  Harvesting: By hand, into small crates to avoid bruising. Sorting before and after destemming; no crushing. The grapes are put into vats by gravity flow. Fermentation: In temperature-controlled wooden and concrete vats for 25-30 days depending on the vintage. Extraction by pneumatic pigeage (punching down the cap). Malolactic fermentation and ageing: In new oak barrels (up to 50%) on fine lees .Fining and filtering as necessary, depending on the vintage. Duration of barrel aging:15-18 months. Average vine age: 28 years.

“ a swath of toasty, singed vanilla starts off, quickly backed by waves of currant and plum preserves. As the flavors knit, a graphite spine emerges and drives the anise- and apple wood-tinged finish. Let this settle in with a little cellaring. Very solid. Best from 2020 through 2027 (92 points, Wine Spectator, “Smart Buy”

Alcohol: 13.5%

Château Lagrange  2014

Appellation: Appellation Saint Julien Contrôlée

Varietals: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon; 18% Merlot; 6% Petit Verdot

Production/Tasting Notes: Troisème Cru (3rd Growth); Traditional Bordeaux vinification is carried out in 92 temperature-controlled stainless steel vats of varying capacities, thus allowing a separate vinification to respect the character of each plot and soil-type, each terroir; vatting time between 16-28 days depending on the tannic development in the fermenting wines ; firm, dry with solid tannins; black currant and berry fruits with crisp , juicy acidity. (94 points, Wine Enthusiast)

Alcohol: 13.5%

Chateau Kirwan  2014

Appellation: Appellation Margaux Contrôlée

Varietals:

Production/Tasting Notes: Troisème Cru (3rd Growth)  
Mainly gravel soils, but some are also clay; fruit is picked and sorted twice by hand, then vinified in separate batches corresponding to individual vineyard parcels; half the oak barrels used to age the wine for 18 months are renewed every year.   Deep brilliant ruby red color reflects a nose fo black and red berries - cherry, black currant, blueberry, enhanced by aromas of spices (cinammon), pink peppercorns and vanilla; this vintage has a strikingly tactile quality; it starts out mellow, then offers the taste buds a rich body, with nearly imperceptible, velvety tannins and an acidity that perfectly balances out its silky texture; cocoa and coffee complement a broad aromatic palette; extended finish blends hints of perfectly ripened cherry and subtle roasted notes that continue to carress the palate. (96 points, Wines Enthusiast, Editor's Choice)

Alcohol: 13.5%

Château Haut-Batailley 2015

Appellation: Appellation Pauillac Contrôlée

Varietals: 72% Cabernet Sauvignon; 28% Merlot

Production/Tasting Notes: Cinquième Cru (5th Growth); matured in 60% new oak; nose and palate bathed in blackberries and dark plum; blackberry, boysenberry, tobacco and cedar aromas; long, fresh tannins; oak is highlighted with spicy flavors and bolsters plush grape tannins in a harmonious finish; aging potential: 25-30 years(94 points, James Suckling; 94 points Wine Advocate)

Alcohol: 13.5%

What separates a $20 Bordeaux from a $300 (or $3,000) Bordeaux:

- Place where grapes are grown

-Age of Vine

-Yield of the Vine

- Winemaking technique

-Vintage

- Demand: Blame the Chinese!

Factoids about Bordeaux

·         Left Bank (Pauillac, St Julien, Pessac, Graves, Medoc, etc.) – Cabernet-based wines

·         Right Bank (St Emilion, Pomerol, etc.) – Merlot-based wines

·         French law dictates that a château may appear on a wine label only if the château really exists.

·         Major red varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc (also, Petit Verdot, Malbec as blending grapes)

·         Major white varietals: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Muscadelle

·         57 Appellations: Major Bordeaux classifications: Médoc, Haut Médoc, Graves, Pomerol, St Emilion, Sauternes

·         10,000 Châteaux

·         13,000 Grape Growers

·         5 Premiers  Crus (First Growths) according to 1855 Classification

1. Château Lafite-Rothschild

2. Château LaTour

3. Château Margaux

4. Château Haut-Brion

5. Château Mouton-Rothschild

Notes on a few of the Châteaux

Lagrange

A place of great agricultural activity even back in Gallo-Roman times : from the Gallo-Roman VILLA RUSTICA to the « GRANGIA » in the Middle Ages which was to give the estate its name.

Lagrange discovers an early winegrowing vocation thanks to the Templars who join together two domains :
– The « maison noble de Lagrange de Monteil » to the West joins the « Tenure of Pellecalhus » (meaning « peeled stone ») to the East. In the present-day vineyard, the names of two vine plots bear witness to this era, « l’Hôpital » and « La Chapelle »;
– Lagrange becomes the largest wine producing estate in the Médoc.

But the history of the different owners cannot be reconstructed until after 1631.

The 18th century brings renown to Lagrange

Baron de Brane, a Bordeaux parliament member, and owner of Mouton, acquires the property and its renown thus becomes more widespread.

In 1790, Jean-Valère Cabarrus, an influential merchant known to be very active in the shipping business, invests in the property and establishes his own sales network. In 1820, he commissions Visconti to build the Tuscan-style tower that is to become the emblem of Château Lagrange.

From Jefferson to Duchâtel, the story of a classification

During a trip to Bordeaux In 1785, Thomas Jefferson, then President of the United States, judges Lagrange second among the Third Classified Growths. In 1855, Lagrange ranks among Third Classified Growths. This is thanks to the work of Count Duchâtel, owner from 1842 to 1874. In 1842, Count Charles Tenneguy Duchâtel and the Countess bring change to Lagrange :
– Innovation with a pottery drainage pipe factory.
– Château Lagrange now stretches over 300 hectares of which 120 are under vine.
– The Count is a politician, Home Secretary to King Louis-Philippe.
– Passion for the arts, Member of the Académie des Beaux Arts.

The Japanese group, Suntory, acquired the domain when the purchase was signed by the company president, Mr Keizo Saji, in1983.

Marcel Ducasse was then recruited along with Kenji Suzuta to undertake the complete restructuring of the vineyard and a spectacular renovation of the whole estate. This first step was to mark the rebirth of CHÂTEAU LAGRANGE.

After twenty years of dedicated work, as well as human and technical investments, Lagrange had once again found recognition amidst its peers and had achieved a certain sense of fulfilment.

Today a new tandem, Matthieu Bordes and Keiichi Shiina, have taken over this quest for excellence. A second phase of investments began with the 2008 vintage, offering Lagrange the technical means to follow its ambitions: The production of refined, elegant and expressive wines, in the best Saint-Julien style. There has also been an evolution of production methods towards a greater awareness of the environment and a reduction of ecological impact on the property.

This philosophy is reflected not only in the respect shown for the domain’s History, and the nurturing of its truly exceptional Terroir, but also in the unique experiences shared all over the world around a glass of one of Lagrange’s wines.

Haut Batailley

The Cazes family, which heads Château Lynch-Bages, are the proud new owners of Château Haut-Batailley, an 1855 Grand Cru Classé in Pauillac owned previously by the Des Brest-Borie family. Both families have had strong roots in the Pauillac and Médoc landscape for generations. Château Haut-Batailley, acquired by the Brest-Borie family in the 1930s, was until now managed by FrançoisXavier Borie. “We are delighted that Château Haut-Batailley has been accepted into the fold of the Cazes family, who are committed to continuing the work undertaken at the estate. We're confident that they will maintain the identity and character of the property,” said François-Xavier Borie. Château Haut-Batailley today comprises some 40 hectares, 22 hectares of which are already planted. In terms of grape variety, the property has 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Its vines are on average 35 years old. The property also has its own technical facilities, in perfect working order. “Château Haut-Batailley is a magnificent property that has always produced great wines. We're particularly happy that it has passed between two families who have friendly relations and know each other well,” said Jean-Charles Cazes, general manager of the family-owned group. “This acquisition will strengthen our presence in Pauillac with the aim of undertaking a project distinct from Lynch-Bages. In order to respect the estate’s identity and the integrity of its vineyard, the property will be managed independently and have its own dedicated team of technical experts.”