Chateau Phélan Ségur Saint-Estèphe 2016 In 1805, Daniel Phelan, an Irish wine broker, acquired le Clos de Garamey, located in Saint-Estephe. The acquisition was followed in 1810 by the purchase of the Segur de Cabanac estate, creating a magnificent wine-producing domain that remains practically unchanged today. Bernard Phelan, upon his death in 1841, left this vast estate, known as Chateau Segur de Garamey, to his son Frank. Frank devoted his life to promoting the renown and improving the quality of the wines produced on his property, and at one point became the mayor of Saint-Estephe, holding the post for thirty years. Since 1985, Xavier Gardinier has been running the vineyard…
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Louis Latour Premier Cru Meursault-Blagny 2016 The winery was the first purpose-built cuverie in France and remains the oldest still-functioning. A unique railway system with elevators allows the entire wine-making process to be achieved by the use of gravity. This eliminates the threat of oxidation from unnecessary pumping of the must. Situated just south of Volnay and Pommard in the Côte de Beaune, Meursault is the most extensive southerly white wine commune of the Côte-d’Or. Surprisingly enough for an appellation of this quality, no Grand Cru exists, however the high quality of the 1er Cru (Premier Cru) more then compensates for this. An exclusive of Maison Louis Latour, the vineyards…
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Chateau De Sales 2010 Pomerol Chateau de Sales, situated in the Right Bank appellation of Pomerol, is an estate with a long and prestigious history. Owned by the same family for over 500 years, the chateau is the largest in Pomerol with 47 hectares of vines. The soil of Chateau de Sales is characterized by an omnipresence of iron oxide, called “crasse de fer” locally, which gives the wine a distinct personality. The majority of aging for Chateau de Sales wines takes place in traditional concrete tanks, spending only 6 months in oak barrels, to preserve the wine’s qualities of freshness, fruitiness and terroir expression. Chateau de Sales has been…
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Franck Bonville Grand Cru Les Belles Voyes Blanc de Blancs N.V. Franck and his wife Jeannine after the second war commercialized the first bottles of champagne from a vineyard already connected on the lands of Avize and Oger for over twenty years. Today, Giles and his wife Ingrid Bonville, together with their son Olivier spend time tending to the operation of the winery, including updating and modernizing the facility. Their goal is to grow grapes of the highest quality and produce great wines which are fresh, delicate and elegant. If you read the label, you will see the words “Récoltant Manipulant” or “RM” on the bottle of Franck Bonville, which…
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Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rose Brut N.V. Founded in 1812, Laurent-Perrier has been crafting Champagnes for nearly two hundred years, making it one of the largest family owned brands. Located in the northeastern region of France, the Champagne region has one of the coolest possible wine producing climates, which is moderated by the Marne River and the region’s proximity to the ocean. Laurent-Perrier is based in the picturesque village of Tours-sur-Marne – an ideal location at the intersection between Champagne’s three foremost sub-regions: Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne and Côte des Blancs. The Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier is the most recognized rosé champagne in the world. It is also one…
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Louis Latour Meursault 2013 The Louis Latour winery was the first purpose-built cuverie in France and remains the oldest still-functioning. A unique railway system with elevators allows the entire wine-making process to be achieved by the use of gravity. This eliminates the threat of oxidation from unnecessary pumping of the must. Situated just south of Volnay and Pommard in the Côte de Beaune, Meursault is the most extensive southerly white wine commune of the Côte-d’Or. The perfect south-easterly exposure and the stony, marl soil contribute greatly to the remarkable finesse of which the wines of Meursault are capable. Typical Meursault tend to be very full, mellow wines and mature somewhat…
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Chateau Fleur Cardinale Grand Cru 2012 Interesting!!!!…..The idea suddenly came to them late one evening just as they were about to fall asleep. It suddenly caught their imaginations. They mulled it over for a few minutes, but then decided no…it wasn’t realistic. Days later that idea was still in their minds. It just wouldn’t go away. They hinted at it to others, who smiled in approval. It was a daring idea perhaps, but there are times when you want to believe, and nothing will stop you. They decided to pursue it. It was Florence Decoster, the present owner, who first nurtured that idea and brought it to fruition in the…
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Chateau Giscours 2012 Located in the heart of a beautiful 300-hectare estate, the 83-hectare Giscours vineyard is situated in the famous Margaux appellation. Though the estate was first mentioned in a document dating back to 1330, it was not until 1847 that Count de Pescatore laid the cornerstone of the remarkable chateau that now overlooks the vines. Giscours’ wines quality was confirmed by its inclusion as a third growth in the 1855 classification. The estate was purchased by Nicolas Tari after WW II. In 1995, the Chateau’s wine growing business was acquired by Eric Albada Jelgersma. The investment he has made in less than a decade mirrors his passionate commitment…
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Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2009 & Chateau Corton Grancey Domaine Latour 2009 I recently went to a private wine tasting where Louis Latour’s Northeast Regional Manager, Andy Fruzzetti, opened TEN wines, 5 red and 5 white, as well as providing some awesome in depth commentary on the wines and winery, picture with yours truly below. These are the last two of the 10 wines tasted, they were all great! Check out the March 31, 2017, April 4, 2017, April 7, 2017 and April 11, 2017 posts for additional pictures. Many thanks Andy for sharing your wine and wine knowledge. After the ravages of the phylloxera epidemic at the…
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Louis Latour Corton Domain Latour 2008 & Corton “Clos de la Vigne au Saint” Domaine Latour 2010 I recently went to a private wine tasting where Louis Latour’s Northeast Regional Manager, Andy Fruzzetti, opened TEN wines, 5 red and 5 white, as well as providing some awesome in depth commentary on the wines and winery. I will review these wines over the next several posts with some history and observations! Check out the March 31, 2017, April 4, 2017 & April 7, 2017 posts for additional pictures. I reviewed 8 wines, 2 to go, stay tuned! Corton Domain Latour 2008 The grapes selected to produce this wine are located on…