DEC./JAN. 2011 WINES FOR CELEBRATIONS DEGUSTATIONS ET UIDE D ACHAT ©Brice Guyart G ’ www.flavours-from-france.fr Philippe Roy Philippe CIVB/ Médoc THE WINE SELECTION EDITORIAL The wines presented here, white and red, are recommended to be the THE PANEL perfect match for the exceptional lunches and dinners of the end of this DAVID BIRAUD year. Head sommelier at the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris, Best Sommelier in Eleven wines of high quality have France 2002, « Meilleur Ouvrier de been selected by the experts from France » in 2004, 3rd at the 2010 the tasting panel. Best World Sommelier and 2nd at The notes describe the wine’s style the 2010 Best European Sommelier. and characters; the potential quality is given and when the wine will be at JEAN MICHEL DELUC its peak. Master sommelier of USF, Sommelier consultant for Château by The wines are blind-tasted : Chateaux On Line and for Repaire de Bacchus and big names; medium wine houses; liquor stores, previously head small houses and growers. The value sommelier at the Ritz of Paris. for money is taken into account after the tasting; the price shown is the ex cellars price without vat (see Wine CHRISTOPHE LAGRANGE Tasting pages : Price*). Publisher and wine taster, 20 years in the wine and spirit activity sector. You may reach each wine owner directly if you click on their e-mail address or on the web site address. ANTOINE PETRUS All these wines are exported. Best young Sommelier in France in 2007, Sommelier of the year in Christophe LAGRANGE France in 2008, Sommelier at Les Publisher Ambassadeurs restaurant, Hôtel de Crillon in Paris. www.flavours-from-france.fr e-mail : [email protected] WINE TASTINGS LEARN MORE ABOUT… BORDEAUX Josh Kenzer By Peter Winstone Five Wine Areas Who doesn’t know this vineyard producing every year some of the The vineyards of Bordeaux are organised in five geographical areas. finest wines of the world? MEDOC SAUTERNAIS Its success is set on several factors: Located between the Gironde In the extension of the Graves an outstanding quality of the soil, a river estuary and the Atlantic region, this area gathers several climate fitting to the vine culture, Ocean, this region is well appellations. On the left side of qualitative and very complementary sheltered from the West winds the Garonne river: Sauternes, grape varieties and a seculary by the Landes forest. The area Barsac, Cérons, and on the right know-how of the wine-growers and brings together 8 of the most side: Cadillac, Loupiac and Sainte wine-makers. prestigious appellations: Saint- Croix du Mont. This wines have Estèphe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, in common they are viscous, rich Bordeaux vineyard spreads over the Listrac, Moulis, Margaux, Médoc and mellow due to the Botrytis departement of Gironde and consists and Haut-Médoc. Mainly, red Cinerea producing the noble rot of five big entities very distinctive wines are produced here and few on healthy grapes and the and rich of particularities. white wines. concentration of sugars. GRAVES FACTS AND FIGURES Nearby to Bordeaux, some vineyards are close from by THE BORDEAUX VINEYARD buildings and houses, with two The largest A.O.C. wine region in France appellation areas Pessac-Léognan 60 Appellations d’Origine Contrôlée (A.O.C.) (established in 1987, in the north 117,500 hectares of vine (2009) part of this area, with all its Crus THE HARVEST Classés) and Graves. Graves 2009: 5.7 Million Hectoliters (+20% versus 2008) Supérieures is the third CIVB 2008: 4.8 Million HL appellation, formerly applying to Bourg 2007: 5.7 Million HL some sweet white wines, but not THE WINES FROM THE CÔTES: so much used now. AVERAGE SIZE OF GIRONDE REGION ESTATES: BLAYE AND BOURG 14.6 hectares LIBOURNAIS Under this designation, 5 EMPLOYMENT appellations are listed: the Côtes This delimited zone around the 8,650 wine growers de Bourg and the Côtes de Blaye, town of Libourne has several 300 “maisons de négoce” (wine merchants) mainly producing red wines, often 93 wine brokers famous appellations, from West powerful, sometimes rustic but 55,000 persons employed directly and indirectly to East: Canon-Fronsac, always authentic. Fronsac, Pomerol, Lalande de 2009 SALES On the East end of the Libournais 4.96 Million HL Pomerol, Saint-Emilion and area are located the Côtes de 3.37 Billion Euros turnover Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, as well Francs and the Côtes de Castillon. as all its associated appellations: The biggest French A.O.C. volume sold Further in the South, along the The biggest French A.O.C. still wine exporter Montagne, Saint-Georges, right bank of the Garonne river, 150 export markets for Bordeaux wines Lussac and Puisseguin Saint- the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux Emilion; then Saint-Estèphe, 68% France spreads from Bordeaux to 32% Export Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Listrac, Langon. And finally, the Entre- Moulis, Margaux, Médoc and MAIN EXPORT MARKETS: Deux-Mers (so called due to the Haut-Médoc. This vineyard is a Germany, Belgium, United-Kingdom, China, USA, situation between the Garonne Japan, Canada, Switzerland, Netherlands terroir for the red wines, with a river and the Dordogne river) large part for the Merlot grapes. devoted to the white wines. WINE TASTINGS G GUIDE YING GUIDE YING CIVB Collection CIVC - Editions Benoît France/ Michel GUILLARD /Olivier Boisseau/Olivier BUYIN & WINE TASTING BU & TASTING WINE CRT Aquitaine CRT Saint-Emilion vineyards Entre-Deux-Mers vineyards CIVB/Philippe Roy CIVB/Philippe CIVB Graves vineyards CIVB Graves vineyards Sauternes vineyards GREAT VINTAGES OF THE DECADE Ex : Exceptionnal VG : Very Good R ED WINES SWEET WHITE WINES DRY WHITE WINES 2009 : Ex 2009 : Ex 2009 : Ex 2008 : VG 2008 : VG 2008 : Ex 2007 : VG 2007 : Ex 2007 : Ex 2005 : Ex 2005 : VG 2006 : Ex 2004 : VG 2003 : Ex 2004 : VG Bengold 2003 : VG 2001 : Ex 2003 : VG 2000 : Ex 2002 : VG 2001 : VG CIVB/Vincent CONSEIL INTERPROFESSIONNEL DU VIN DE BORDEAUX (CIVB) Tel : +33 (0) 5 56 00 22 66 www.bordeaux.com Dec./Jan. 2011, WINE TASTING & BUYING GUIDE COMITE INTERPROFESSIONNEL DU VIN DE CHAMPAGNE THE VINES G GUIDE Cabernet Sauvignon (22% of planted surface) YING GUIDE YING In just a few years, Cabernet Sauvignon has CIVB become one of the best-known grape varieties in the world, thanks to its nobility and power. But in Bordeaux, it expresses itself most beautifully. Cabernet Franc (10% of planted surface) CIVB An ancestor of the famous Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc is known for its mellowness, the refinement of its aromas and its vivacity, which WINE TASTING & BUYIN & WINE TASTING is why it plays an important role in the blending WINE TASTING & BU & TASTING WINE of Bordeaux wines. Merlot (56% of planted surface) 5 BORDEAUX CLASSIFICATIONS The undeniable global reference for velvety and CIVB fragrant red wines, Bordeaux offers Merlot ideal The Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of climatic and soil conditions resulting in an 1855, covering (with one exception) 61 red unmatched richness of expression. wines of Médoc and of the Graves, and 27 sweet white wines of Sauternes-Barsac. Malbec (<1% of planted surface) These grapes mature early and produce red Reputation of the châteaux and history of CIVB wines that have rich colour, solid tannins and the price cotations organized this good potential for ageing. classification. It ranks the wines into five categories. The Premier Cru red wines (4 from Petit Verdot (<1% of planted surface) Médoc and one, Château Haut-Brion, from The grand “châteaux” use Petit Verdot because Graves), are among the most expensive it adds its own special touch of flavour and wines in the world. aroma for which great wines are known. The 1955 Official Classification of Saint- Sauvignon (4% of planted surface) Emilion which is updated approximately CIVB/P. CIVB/P. Cronenberger Definitely one of the most well-known and once every ten years, and last in 2006. useful grape varieties in winemaking, Sauvignon The 1959 Official Classification of Graves, reveals multiple facets of its personality in initially classified in 1953 and revised in 1959. Bordeaux, while remaining consistently elegant and complex. CIVB/P. CIVB/P. Cronenberger The Cru Bourgeois Classification. Since 2007, Sémillon (6% of planted surface) the Alliance of the Médoc Crus Bourgeois The most-planted white grape variety, Sémillon works on a project of “Cru Bourgeois is surprising because it gives its best in extreme Recognition”. These Crus represent 40% of conditions. A good complement to Sauvignon, the Médoc vineyards. CIVB they are often blended together. The Cru Artisans, existing for more than 150 Muscadelle (<1% of planted surface) years, is a denomination for 44 properties in Unrelated to Muscat, this sensitive variety is very difficult for winegrowers to cultivate. But the Médoc, Haut-Médoc and the Médoc's Philippe Roy Philippe results are well worth the effort, since it community appellations. contributes wonderful aromatic richness to CIVB/ Sauvignon and Sémillon blends. WINE TASTINGS ©Brice Guyart WINE TASTING & BUYING GUIDE WINE TASTING & BUYING GUIDE Le Gavroche, Le Gavroche, Wild duck Wild London CHÂTEAU PATACHE CHÂTEAU GUIDE D’AUX 2007 LIVERSAN 2007 G GUIDE On a clay and limestone land, On the village of Saint- around the village of Bégadan, Sauveur, close of Pauillac, near the Gironde estuary, the Château Liversan is a 30 vineyard of Patache d’Aux hectares estate. The grape spreads on 43 hectares. The varieties are Merlot grapes varieties are Cabernet (40%), Cabernet Sauvignon (60%) Merlot Sauvignon (50%), (30%), Cabernet Franc (10%) Cabernet Franc (5%) and and Petit Verdot, with an Petit Verdot (5%). The soil is a gravel land on a limestone average age of 35 years old. plateau. BUYING AND TASTING TASTING NOTES: A young, TASTING NOTES: A deep colour, dark red with dark purple BUYIN & WINE TASTING ruby and dark purple colour, glints.