Bordeaux

Overview: “The oldest of the Bordeaux classed growths, the inventor of a new style of wine in the 17th century, the world’s first luxury brand…whenever Chateau Haut-Brion is mentioned, one quickly runs out of superlatives. This wine is the embodiment of 5 centuries of tradition and plays a pivotal role in the worldwide history of wine.”

Production Area: 48.35 ha

Grape Varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot

Soil: Mineral-rich soils composed of clay and sand topped with a layer of deep gravel

Vinification: The process takes place in double skinned stainless steel tanks.  Malolactic fermentation is followed by blending after which the wine is placed in barrels to age

Aging: 18-22 months in oak casks (80% new wood)

Annual Production: 10,000-12,000 cases

Winemaker Notes: “The initial impression is one of a certain discretion and even restraint the prerogative of any person with self confidence. At every swirl, you discover new aromas, which build up into great complexity. The terroir is expressed in this wine through a unique signature with an empyreumatic bouquet (Havana cigars, chocolate, roasting, cedar wood, etc.). The attack has the same restraint with precise, exceedingly soft tannins. But the power of this wine is revealed in the surprising long mid-palate and even longer finish. This aromatic persistence is the prerogative of very great origins.”

Overview: The Bahans Haut-Brion is the second-label wine of Chateau Haut-Brion, Premier Grand Cru Classe, and is produced from the same grapes grown for the estate’s flagship wine.  The estate employs the same amount of care and attention to detail to its second wine as to the Grand Vin.  This wine was renamed “Le Clarence de Haut-Brion” in 2007 in honor of American Clarence Dillon, who took ownership of Chateau Haut-Brion in 1935.

Grape Varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot

Soil: Mineral-rich soils composed of clay and sand topped with a layer of deep gravel

Vinification: The process takes place in double skinned stainless steel tanks.  Malolactic fermentation is followed by blending after which the wine is placed in barrels to age

Aging: Partially aged for 18-22 months in 20-25% new wood, the rest ages in casks used for the previous vintage of the Grand Vin

Average Production: 5,000-7,000 cases

Winemaker Notes: “A scaled-down, lighter version of Chateau Haut-Brion Rouge.  This wine offers all the specific traits of the Grand Vin in a dimension that will allow you to enjoy it sooner (we recommend waiting five years on average before tasting this second wine instead of ten years as for the Grand Vin).  The Bahans Haut-Brion is a wonderful learning opportunity to enjoy as a prelude to tasting Chateau Haut-Brion.”

Le Clarence de Haut-Brion

History: In 1935, Château Haut-Brion was acquired by the American banker Clarence Dillon. In 1939, he turned it into a hospital to accommodate the wounded officers of the French army. Since then, the property is still part of the same family. Clarence de Haut-Brion is the second wine of Château Haut-Brion, Premier Grand Cru Classé in 1855, and comes from the same vines as the first wine.

Production Area: 48 hectares

Grape Varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot

Tasting Notes: This wine is a deep, purplish-red in the glass, with brilliant highlights. Initially slightly reserved on the nose, it developed fascinating complexity on aeration. Fresh red-berry fruit was accented by hints of spicier aromas, such as cocoa. The initial impression was very soft and soothing on the palate, but the tannic structure gradually affirmed its presence, combining firmness with great finesse. This wine confirmed our assessment from recent vintages that Le Clarence de Haut-Brion can certainly be considered a great wine.

Overview: Château Haut-Brion Blanc remains an icon in the world of exceptional white wines (400-650 cases per year). This particular blend gives this wine, from a terroir of Graves, an atypical concentration and depth for a dry white Bordeaux.

Appellation: Pessac-Léognan

Grape Varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon

Tasting Notes: This wine has great contrast between the nose and the mouth. The aromas announce a wine with much freshness. Bright, citrus notes are dominant and pink grapefruit invades all the olfactory senses, but the mouth feel is full and creamy. The vivacity returns on the finish and gives this wine a very beautiful length.

Overview: La Clarté de Haut-Brion is the second white wine of the estate and boasts a legendary and unique kinship: made from grapes grown on the Haut-Brion terroir, it is born of two prestigious estates: Château Haut-Brion and Château La Mission Haut-Brion.

First Vintage: 2009

Grape Varieties: Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc

Château La Bernede Grand Poujeaux’s aim is to make classic wines with charm and personality.  The estate is owned by Jean-Baptiste and Nathalie Cordonnier.  The vineyard manager is Jean-Bernard Despatures, and the cellar master is Vincent Videau.  Consultant oenologist is Eric Boissenot.

Soil: 90% Garonne gravel situated on the hill of Grand Poujeaux; 10% clay-limestone.

Production Area: 31 hectares

Grape Varieties: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 3& Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc

Viticulture: To limit the yields, several methods are employed: root stocks that are well known for their low yields are selected; the vines are planted at a high density of 8,500-10,000 vines/hectare; progressive planting is done to maintain a high average age of the vines (25 years old).  To increase the quality of production, the following methods are used: systematic drainage of the plots; short pruning; regular pulling out and planting to maintain the homogeneity of the plots; leaf thinning and green harvest; ploughing of the soils.

Harvest: Manual (60%) or mechanical (40%) harvest according to thr age of the vines, with a sorting of the grapes in the vineyard.

Vinification: In concrete and stainless steel temperature-controlled vats.  Maceration is relatively short (17-25 days) because the quality of the work at the vineyard guarantees a quick extraction of the best tannins.  Maximum temperatures of 26-28 degrees Celsius to ensure a gentle extraction of the tannins while preserving the fruitiness.

Aging: Lasts 18 months, with 12 in oak barrels (1/3 new wood every year).  40% second wine in order to boost the Grand Vin.  Racking every 3 months, and fining with egg whites.

The name of the illustrious Janoueix family, hailing from the rural French region of Correze, first became associated with Bordeaux wine in 1867, when Jean Janoueix entered the wine business.  Jean Philippe Janoueix is the current owner of the domaine; he first started making wine in 1994 with the founding of Château de Chambrun on a small 1.7-hectare plot in Lalande de Pomerol. Quickly, Chambrun became the reference for quality in the appellation and a center of attention. This was to be the first in a long series of successes.

Time, steady perseverance, and care have enabled Jean Philippe Janoueix to build up a fine portfolio of wine estates. The properties are spread carefully across Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Pomerol, Saint Georges Saint-Emilion, and Bordeaux Supérieur, offering rare diversity and quality  Chateau La Confession, located in  Saint-Emilion, had its first vintage in 2001.

Production Area: 7.3 ha

Grape Varieties: 70% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon (percentages vary depending on the vintage)

Plant Density: 6,666 plants/ha

Average Age of the Vines: 39 years old

Soil: Clayey and chalky on 5.1 ha, clayey and siliceous on 2.2 ha.

Cultivation: Plowing of the soil, vineyard grass cover, no trimming, just topping. Yield control by two cluster thinnings (at the closure of the grape cluster and at the beginning of veraison). Leaves were thinned out at rising sun side only.

Yield: 37 hl/ha

Harvest: Double sorting of the crop: first in the vineyard and second at the winery.

Vinification: Filling of the vats by gravity without crushing. Vinification in open wooden vats of small capacity. Punching of the caps every 3 hours until 1070 of density, every 8 hours until 1040 and once a day until 1000. Temperature during alcoholic fermentations: 26/27°C max. Vatting period: 21 to 24 days. Filling of the barrels heated at the same temperature as the wine: 26-27°C. Malolactic fermentation in new barrels.

Aging: Coopers–Demptos: 25 %, Darnajou: 25 %, Remond: 25 %, Radoux: 25%. 25 % cigar-shaped barrels, 75 % traditional barrels. Maturing on lees during 6 months. No fining, no filtration.

Alcohol: 14% by vol

Production: 27,200 bottles

The first recorded history of La Conseillante’s name appears in the mid-18th century.  It was bequeathed by an influential woman who owned the estate almost 300 years ago, Catherine Conseillan.

The Nicolas family bought the chateau in 1871, and its size and configuration have not changed since.  Exemplifying the Nicolas family’s continued commitment to this great wine, the 5th generation is currently at the helm.

Located at the heart of the famous Pomerol plateau next to its renowned neighbors, Pétrus and Cheval Blanc, La Conseillante has an outstanding terroir.  Its full potential has been achieved, and the wine has gained a well-deserved reputation for power and elegance.

La Conseillante’s silky tannins, aromatic complexity, and consistency in quality year in and year out account for its loyal following around the world.

Owner: Nicolas family (since 1871)

Managers: Dr. Bertrand Nicolas & Jean-Valmy Nicolas

Managing Director & Winemaker: Marielle Cazaux

Consultant Oenologist: Michel Rolland

Cellarmaster: Patrick Argutti

Production Area: 11.8 hectares, 70% dedicated to the 1st wine and 30% to the 2nd wine, Duo de la Conseillante

Soil: 60% grey clay, 40% sandy gravel, over an iron-rich, clayey subsoil

Grape Varieties: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc

Plant Density: 7,000 vines/hectare

Average Age of the Vines: 35 years old

Viticulture: Since 2016, La Conseillante has implemented a series of undertakings to reduce its environmental impact.  The estate has gained ISO 14001 and HVE 3 certification within the SME programme (Environmental Management System) for Bordeaux wines.
ISO 14001 certification implies the limitation of environmental impacts within a company.  HVE 3 certification (High Environmental Value) is centered around 4 separate environmental themes: biodiversity, phyto-sanitary strategy, management of fertilization and water resources.  La Conseillante also cultivates different species of plants, such as clover (used in different parts of the vineyard where vines lack vigor) and oats (used to break up the soil with their roots).  Radish is also planted, particularly in clay parts of the vineyard, where it enables de-compacting and aeration of the soil.  Their environmental policies continue to develop and increase, and they have undertaken to include in their vine-growing practices biodynamic farming and phytotherapy, and more than 80% organic and/or biocontrol products.  These elements all enhance biodiversity within the La Conseillante vineyard.

Harvest: By hand in low-capacity, open trays.  Green harvesting.

Vinification: Pre-fermentation cold-maceration for 2-5 days, in tank for 3-4 weeks. Stainless steel vats, fully temperature-controlled.

Aging: 18 months – new barrels 50-75%.  Fining with egg whites; no filtration.

Annual Production: 45,000 bottles

The historic vineyards of Château La Gaffelière have their origins way back to the Gallo-Roman era.  In the 17th century, the chateau was acquired by the Malet Roquefort family, one of the oldest families in the region who had been in the area for about 4 centuries.  These ties to the past give the family a deep respect for tradition in the winemaking process.

The estate spans 25 hectares, 22 of which are situated between the hill of Château Ausone and Château Pavie.  The vineyards are planted on a clay-limestone soil and are oriented ideally towards the south which gives excellent sun exposure to the approximately 35 year-old vines.  The grape varieties planted are 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc.  Harvesting is manually done – the grapes are sorted carefully and then totally destemmed.  Parcel vinification is done in thermo-regulated stainless steel vats.

Owners: Comte de Malet Roquefort

Managers: Comte de Malet Roquefort and Alexandre de Malet Roquefort

Grape Varieties: Cabernet Franc, Merlot

Vinification: The grapes are placed into small crates and put straight into cold storage (8°C) for one night. The next morning, bunches are mechanically de-stemmed and grapes are sent to the optical sorting machine by a conveyor belt. The sorted grapes fill the vats by natural gravity as they are located below the sorting area. Entirely renovated in 2013, the vat room is composed of 20 temperature controlled tanks, made of stainless steel and shaped like an upside down truncated cone. This new space dedicated to vinification is high tech, innovative, aesthetic, and practical. However its architecture remains traditional through its stone walls and wood frame. Each plot is worked individually, in order to extract the best expression of its terroir. Gentle pumping over and punching down pace the alcoholic fermentation. Then some lots are barreled for the malolactic fermentation, while the others remain in tanks for this process.

Aging: Aging process follows the plot by plot management as well. As the underground cellar is below the vat room, natural gravity is also used to barrel the wine. 50% new French oak barrel are purchased every year. Under a dome of concrete, with control of temperature and humidity, the wine will age quietly for 14 to 16 months.

Overview: Clos La Gaffelière is the second label made by the team of Château La Gaffelière.  Established in 1985, Clos La Gaffelière has its own vat room and cellars.

Production Area: 38 hectares, of which 22 are 1er Grand Cru Classé

Soil: Clay-limestone

Grape Varieties Planted: 70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc

Grape Variety Blend: The blend is usually a large majority of Merlot (up to 90%) with the remainder being Cabernet Franc.

Viticulture: Sustainable agriculture.  Double and single Guyot pruning, grassing of plots, leaf stripping, and green harvest.  Manual harvest in crates.

Vinification: Grapes are sorted by density.  Plot vinification in thermo-regulated steel tanks filled by gravity and without the use of sulfur.  Vinification in whole bunches.  Alcoholic fermentation with pumping over and punching down.  Malolactic fermentation in tanks.

Aging: 12 months in 1-2 year old barrels (15% new wood).  3 rackings.

Tasting Notes: An authentic, pleasure-giving and easy drinking wine.

In 1682, the Lazarist Fathers, a community founded by Saint Vincent de Paul, received this estate as a legacy from Madame Olive de Lestonnac. The monks worked hard for over a century to restore the estate to its former glory. Subsequent owners – a series of illustrious families – followed their example, up to and including the purchase by Domaine Clarence Dillon in 1983. Exceptional red and white wines from La Mission Haut-Brion are still marked by the magic of the Château’s unique history.

Production Area: 26 hectares

Grape Varieties: 45.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43.8% Merlot and 10.4% Cabernet Franc

Average Age of the Vines: 27 years old

Soil: Deep gravel over clay, sand, and chalk in the topsoil

Altitude: 25 meters above sea level

Plant Density: 10,000 vines/hectare

Vinification: Vinified in 180 hl, temperature-controlled, stainless steel vats. The blending takes place shortly after malolactic fermentation is finished and before the aging process in barrel has started. The winemakers feel it is better to blend the wines before the influence of the wood begins to be felt in the wine.

Aging: In 100% new, French oak for an average of 22 months.

Annual Production: 6,000-7,000 cases

Manager: Jean-Philippe Delmas

Production Area: 26 hectares

Grape Varieties: 45.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43.8% Merlot and 10.4% Cabernet Franc

Average Age of the Vines: 27 years old

Soil: Deep gravel over clay, sand, and chalk in the topsoil

Altitude: 25 meters above sea level

Plant Density: 10,000 vines/hectare

Vinification: Vinified in 180 hl, temperature-controlled, stainless steel vats. The blending takes place shortly after malolactic fermentation is finished and before the aging process in barrel has started. The winemakers feel it is better to blend the wines before the influence of the wood begins to be felt in the wine.

Aging: In 100% new, French oak for an average of 22 months.

Annual Production: 6,000-7,000 cases

Manager: Jean-Philippe Delmas

With 22 hectares under vine, this is one of the largest estates in Pomerol. Consisting of only around 785 hectares, this bijou appellation produces some of the finest wines of Bordeaux. Not only is the appellation small to begin with, it is also sub-divided to an unusual extent, the average vineyard holding being just 5 hectares. Member of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux.

Owner: SCE Château La Pointe

General Manager: Eric Monneret

Vine and Wine Consultant: Hubert de Boüard de Laforest

Soil: Château La Pointe’s vineyards are located on the lower part of a terrace starting at Château Trotanoy. The soil here can be divided into three main soil types: gravel and round pebbles from Isle River terraces, clay-gravelly soil, and sandy soil on a layer of either clay or gravel.

Average Age of the Vines: 35 years old

Grape Varieties: Merlot 84%, Cabernet Franc 16%

Plant Density: 6,300 – 7,600 vines/hectare

Harvest: The grapes are hand-picked into small crates and sorted twice before vinification.

Vinification: The fermentations take place in temperature controlled vats in ideal conditions for the making of top quality wines. According to the grape variety, the soil type and the vintage, extraction may be by pumping over or by pigeage (punching down the cap of skins). Vatting generally lasts between 3 and 5 weeks. Half of the vintage undergoes the malolactic fermentation in barrel.

Aging: All the wines are then barrel-aged for 12 months, with just the right amount of new oak (around 50% depending on the vintage).

Annual Production: About 100,000 bottles of the gran vin, Château La Pointe

Alcohol Content: 14%

Overview: This second wine of Chateau la Pointe receives he same care and attention as the Grand Vin, and may be consumed in its youth.

Owner: SCE Château La Pointe

General Manager: Eric Monneret

Vine & Wine Consultant: Hubert de Boüard de Laforest

Appellation: Pomerol

Subregion: Rive Droite

Production Area: 23 hectares

Soil: Gravel and pebble soils of the Isle terraces, clay-gravelly soils, and sandy soils on clay or gravel.

Grape Varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Franc

Vinification: Traditional Bordelaise methods for vinification.

Production: 18,000 bottles

Cellaring: 10 years from vintage

Château La Tour Carnet dates back to the 12th century and is one of the oldest estates in the Médoc region. Named after the medieval squire who unfailingly helped his Lord to resist the French monarchy at the end of the Hundred Years War, La Tour Carnet played a major role in the revolution of Medoc vineyard. The medieval architecture features a tower built in 1120 and the château is surrounded by a moat. The vineyard of Château La Tour Carnet was planted there in 1407. La Tour Carnet has had several illustrious owners, including the family of Michel de Montaigne, one of the greatest French philosophers and twice-elected Mayor of Bordeaux. The quality of its wine was rewarded by the entry in the classification of 1855 Grands Crus. The diversity of its soils and the constant search for perfection make this Haut-Médoc an exceptional wine.

Appellation: Grand Cru Classé en 1855-Haut-Médoc

Location: Saint Laurent Médoc

Production Area: 123 hectares

Grape Varieties: 56% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc (percentages vary depending on the vintage)

Average Age of the Vines: 30 years

Plant Density: 8,000-10,000 vines per hectare

Soil: Clay subsoil with a large proportion of limestone covered by a deep layer of Günz gravel

Cultivation: Detailed-oriented viticulture. Thinning out of the leaves.

Harvest: Manual harvest in crates

Vinification: 1st sorting in the vineyard. Manual sorting on a vibrating table, followed by a destemming with a Pellenc Selectiv‘ process Winery. Optical sorting grape by grape. Cooling off of the harvest through a cryogenic tunnel freezer (spraying of liquid nitrogen). Vatting by gravity flow with a funnel. Fermentation in wooden vats and small capacity concrete tanks. Cold pre-fermentation maceration (8°C). Manual punching down. Alcoholic fermentation at low temperature (28°C). Maceration for 25 to 32 days.

Aging: In oak barrels for 16 months (30% new)

Consulting Enologist: Michel Rolland

Tasting Notes: Sight: Deep garnet color, with hints of mahogany and biscuit, signs of aging. The nose is complex. Notes of blackcurrant and plum appear in turn, followed by secondary aromas of spices, like cinnamon, and roasted notes of charred wood. Forthright flavor revealing the incredible finesse of well-rounded, perfectly balanced tannins. Roasted notes and ripe fruit on the palate. Balanced, full-bodied finish.

Appellation: Médoc

Soil: Clay subsoil with a large proportion of limestone covered by a deep layer of Günz gravel

Grape Varieties: Merlot (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (40%), Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot (percentages vary depending on the vintage)

Age of the Vines: About 30 years old

Plant Density: 8,000—10,000 vines per hectare

Viticulture: Guyot pruning. Parcel-based management with sustainable methods. Thinning out of the leaves.

Harvest: Manual harvest into small crates with a first sorting in the vineyard

Vinification: Cold pre-fermentary maceration. Manual punching down.

Aging: In stainless steel tanks (70%) and French oak barrels (30%) for 16 months

Tasting Notes: The Seigneur de la Tour Carnet is the Second Wine of Chateau La Tour Carnet. The color is a deep, dense violet. A powerful nose with various aromas of black fruit and herbs. Subtle exotic aromas thanks to the wood ripening. A red wine that stimulates the palate from start to finish. Tannins give necessary texture to the wine without being too aggressive.

Appellation: Haut-Médoc

Location: Saint Laurent Médoc

Production Area: 123 hectares

Grape Varieties: 56% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc (percentages vary depending on the vintage)

Age of the Vines: 30 years old

Plant Density: 8,000 to 10,000 vines per hectare

Soil: Clay subsoil with a large proportion of limestone covered by a deep layer of Günz gravel

Viticulture: Detailed-oriented. Thinning out of the leaves (1st after July 20th on the eastern side of the vineyard, 2nd after August 13th on the western side)

Harvest: Manual harvest into small crates with a first sorting in the vineyard

Vinification: Cold pre-fermentary maceration. Manual punching down.

Aging: In French oak barrels (one-year old barrels) for 15 months

Grapes: 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc

Vinification: Alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel vats (30 days).  Malolactic fermentation in partial barrels.  Sorting carried out on an automatic table with alternating small pumping-over operations with manual watering of the marc, use of a vertical cage press with selection of press wines, maturing in separate batches until final blending.

Aging: 1/3 in barrels (35% new barrels, 35% one-wine barrels, 30% two-wine barrels), 1/3 in vats under staves for 6 months and 1/3 in vats.

Tasting Notes: Purple color, expressive and elegant, with aromas of red fruits such as cherries.  The flavor of red fruits is perceptible on the nose.  The woodiness is well integrated and elegant tannins.

Food Pairings: Taste this A.O.C Lussac Saint-Émilion with stuffed mushrooms or steak to appreciate all its flavors.

Chateau La Tour Figeac owes its name to a tower which still existed on the grounds at the end of the 19th century. Lying beside the same road as Chateau Cheval Blanc to the east, Chateau Figeac to the south, and next to Pomerol on the west, it occupies a magnificent position in the Saint-Emilion graves and ancient sands area. With the object of improving the quality of the production, each wine is aged in an air-conditioned cellar in barrels made of oak from different forest areas until the wines are finally assembled ready for bottling. Depending upon the vintage, the barrels are renewed by between 30 and 50 percent. This estate is the property of the Otto Rettenmaier family from Heilbronn, Germany. Since May 1994, the estate has been under the supervision of Otto-Maximilian Rettenmaier (who studied management at the University of Mannheim) the son of the owner and himself co-proprietor. Aaron Pott, an American, has been looking after the vines and the winemaking facilities since that time. Pott studied at Davis University in California and gained experience in the States with Mondavi, Newton Vineyards, and Chateau Troplong Mondot in Saint-Emilion.

Grape Varieties: The vines are naturally predominantly Merlot which accounts for 60% of the vineyard, the rest being entirely Cabernet Franc

Average Age of the Vines: 35 years old

Plant Density: 6,500 vines/ha

Viticulture: The vine husbandry is biodynamic, which means no chemical pesticides or treatments of any sort, and only biodynamically raised manure. The yield is limited by pruning, bunch-thinning, and green-harvesting.

Harvest: Manual

Average Yield: 40 hl/ha

Vinification: The winery has been the focus of some investment in recent years, with new thermo-regulated stainless steel vats but there has been a reversion to wood once again, replacing the steel vats installed 4 years previously. There is a mix of pumping over and punching down to submerge the cap, macerate the skins and increase extraction.

Aging: The wine is fed into oak barrels which may be 100% new in some vintages, and here it rests for up to 18 months for the grand vin Château La Tour Figeac (3,300 cases) and up to 12 months for the second wine, L’Esquisse de La Tour Figeac (1,250 cases). The former is generally dominated by Merlot, which account for 60% to 80% of the blend depending on the vintage, whereas the latter is much more variable and is sometimes predominantly Cabernet Franc, although in the 2000 vintage it seems to have morphed into a 100% Merlot named Cuvée M00. Remarkably there is no fining of the wines, although the wine may be filtered before bottling if deemed necessary.

Overview: Second wine of Chateau La Tour Figeac, named Esquisse de la Tour Figeac, or “The Sketch of La Tour Figeac.”

Production Area: 15 ha (37 acres)

Age of the Vineyard: 25 years

Soil: Ancient sand and gravel

Grape Varieties: Merlot 65%, Cabernet Franc 35%

Vinification: In stainless steel tanks.

Tasting Notes: L’Esquisse de la Tour Figeac reveals a minty freshness on the nose. Red fruit notes and a touch of oak supported by supple tannins and fresh acidity make a very pleasant, pert wine.

This elegant, neoclassical château is located in the heart of Margaux, on the famous Route des Châteaux.  Approximately 70 hectares of the 250-hectare estate are devoted to viticulture.  Unusual for Bordeaux, they own a small 4-hectare plot of vines over 100 years old.  The remainder of the vines were planted from the 1950s onwards.

Bordering on Châteaux Margaux and Lascombes, this property is mentioned in the 1868 edition of Cocks and Feret (“Bordeaux and its Wines”), which tells us of the existence since 1332 of “a vineyard belonging to the noble La Bégorce family”.  The château is described as “… one of the most beautiful and best situated in the town of Margaux”.

The Perrodo family acquired Labégorce in 1989 and renovated not only the château building, but also the vineyard.  It was Hubert Perrodo’s dream to join the previously divided estates of Labégorce and Labégorce-Zédé, and this was finally achieved in 2009.  After Hubert’s untimely death due to a skiing accident, his daughter Nathalie took over ownership of the chateau, and runs it to this day.

The wines of Labégorce are charming with beautiful structure, bright fruit, and great finesse, and are some of Bordeaux’s most in-demand wines on the marketplace.

Overview: Zédé de Labégorce is the second wine of Château Labégorce.

Owner: Nathalie Perrodo

General Manager: Marjolaine Maurice de Coninck

Surface Area: 70 ha

Grape Varieties Planted: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot

Annual Production: 120,000-140,000 bottles

Aging: 12-14 months in barriques (40-50% new wood)

Soil: 70% sandy gravel, 30% sand and silt

“Lafite has a soul, a beautiful, generous, kindly soul. Lafite turns bare earth into heaven. Lafite is harmony, a harmony between man and nature, because without our magnificent winegrowers, nothing would be accomplished.”-Baron Eric de Rothschild
In 1815, Guillaume Lawton said of Château Lafite, “I consider it to be the the most elegant and delicate, with the finest substance of the three (Premier Crus). The location of its vines is one of the finest in the Médoc”. In 1855, the Château was ranked as a Premier Grand Cru in the famous classification that was prepared for the Universal Exhibition of that year.

Grape Varieties: 80-95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5-20% Merlot, 0-5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Note that there are some exceptional cases such as the 1994 vintage (99% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Petit Verdot) or the 1961 vintage (100% Cabernet Sauvignon).

Aging: In oak barrels, 18 to 20 months in 100% new barrels

Annual Production: About 16,000 cases

Decanting: 2 hours or more

Serving Temperature: 16 -18°C