Vintage Eve Circa 2/2015: Union des Grands Crus Bordeaux Tasting 2012 Vintage

April 17, 2018 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Luckily for everyone at the Union des Grands Crus Bordeaux tasting of the 2012 vintage there already was a buzz going. It may have accounted for the long winding line, that moved really fast once the doors to the venue, the Museum of Flying at Santa Monica Airport, were thrown open.

Chad the Wino!

Guests also knew they would, “Meet the world’s greatest winemakers and Chateau owners, be among the first to taste over 100 wines from the excellent new 2012 vintage (and be tasting in) the single largest private Bordeaux wine tasting in Los Angeles” according to our hosts, Wally’s Wine and Spirits.

We were to have “An opportunity to taste the 2012 vintage from top producers from Margaux, St Julien, Pauillac, St Estèphe, Listrac, Moulis, Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Graves, Pessac-Léognan, Saint-Emilion, Pomerol, Sauternes and Barsac (and) all proceeds benefitting Food on Foot.”

For me I had seen this quote from wine writer and judge Wilfred Wong that got me revved up, “One of the great tastings for anyone who really wants to understand wine is the UGC Bordeaux Event. This year the organization was presenting the 2012 Bordeaux. As I tasted through 91 wines, my palate reinforced the notion that this a good, pretty solid vintage…Overall the classifieds made very good wines. Pomerol seemed to be the best, St. Emilion was pretty good. Margaux and Pessac quite good and the northern Medoc, a shade lighter…I look forward to enjoying many of these wines over the next 6-15 years. The classifieds are amongst the most solid wine producers in the world.”

“Chad the Wino” whose real name is still unknown to me but had garnered followers by the thousands on Facebook before deserting us, said, “UGCB R-O-C-K-E-D! 75 tastes, 1 dump, no spits.”

Once there I noted several wines in the Blanc category that proved to cleanse my palate with their round fruit flavors and acidity. Most of these were made from Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, some also had Sauvignon Gris and Muscadelle.

The Rouge category was, as is the usual case for red Bordeaux, predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, some also with smaller percentages of Cabernet Franc, Carmenere, and Petit Verdot.

Our sweet Sauternes were from Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, some added in Muscadelle.

In general, I found the 2012s palatable now as well as age worthy; with great balance, fruit and spice, in that order. Of my three-page tasting sheet I made several notes, but mostly just to note which I’d tasted, which I liked and which I wanted to buy. See the list below, if it’s in bold it’s one I hope to have more of! (And I certainly didn’t try everything, so use this only as a short guide.)

Facebook album link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10204862697154639.1073741896.1455706632&type=1&l=77a21067f1

About The Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (aka UGC)

In Bordeaux, man has learnt to extract the very essence of an exceptional terroir and an exceptional climate. Moving beyond this mastery – born of a constant concern to improve the quality of their wines – the chateaux owners experienced very early the desire to share their passion with wine lovers the world over.

It was this desire to bring to the attention of the world the best of Gironde’s production that lay at the heart, in the 1970s, of a totally innovative approach to communication.

At that time, the initiatives that the viticulturists attempted abroad were the act of rare official bodies that brought together vintages drawn from the same geographical origin: in many cases the A.O.C. (Read more here)

The Wine List

Château d’ Armailhac
Château Beaumont
Château Beauregard
Château Beau-Séjour Bécot
Château Beychevelle
Château Le Bon Pasteur
Château Bouscaut
Château Branaire-Ducru
Château La Cabanne
Château de Camensac
Château Canon-La-Gaffelière
Château Cantemerle
Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion
Château de Chantegrive
Château Chasse-Spleen
Domaine de Chevalier
Château Citran
Château Clarke
Château Clerc Milon
Château Climens
Château Clinet
Château Coufran
Château La Couspaude
Château Coutet
Château Croizet-Bages
Château Doisy Daëne
Château La Dominique
Château de Fieuzal (Blanc)

Château Fourcas Hosten
Clos Fourtet
Château Franc Mayne
Château La Gaffelière
Château Gazin
Château Giscours
Château Gloria
Château Grand-Puy Ducasse
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste
Château Gruaud Larose
Château Haut-Bailly
Château Kirwan
Château Labégorce
Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey
Château Lagrange
Château La Lagune

Château La Tour Blanche

Château La Tour Figeac

Château Langoa Barton
Château Larrivet Haut-Brion (Blanc and Rouge)
Château Lascombes
Château Latour-Martillac (Blanc and Rouge)
Château Léoville Barton
Château Léoville Poyferré
Château La Louvière (Blanc and Rouge)
Château Lynch-Bages
Château Lynch-Moussas
Château Malartic-Lagravière
Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry
Château Marquis de Terme

Château Ormes De Pez
Château Pape Clément (Blanc and Rouge)
Château de Pez
Château Phélan Ségur
Château Pichon-Longueville
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Château La Pointe
Château Poujeaux
Château Prieuré-Lichine
Château Rauzan-Gassies
Château de Rayne Vigneau
Château Saint-Pierre
Château Siran
Château Smith Haut Lafitte
Château Talbot
Château du Tertre
Château La Tour Blanche
Château La Tour Carnet
Château La Tour de By
Château La Tour Figeac
Château Troplong Mondot
Château Trottevieille
Château Villemaurine

Clos Fourtet

Château Ormes De Pez
Château Pape Clément
Château de Pez
Château Phélan Ségur
Château Pichon-Longueville
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Château La Pointe
Château Poujeaux
Château Prieuré-Lichine
Château Rauzan-Gassies
Château de Rayne Vigneau
Château Saint-Pierre
Château Siran
Château Smith Haut Lafitte
Château Talbot
Château du Tertre
Château La Tour Blanche
Château La Tour Carnet
Château La Tour de By
Château La Tour Figeac
Château Troplong Mondot
Château Trottevieille
Château Villemaurine

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate Matter of Taste Returns to San Francisco

October 22, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

San Francisco, CA – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (RobertParker.com), the leading authority on wine, announces the return of its international Matter Of Taste tour to San Francisco on Saturday November 4, 2017 at The City Club San Francisco.

On the heels of the sold-out events in Zurich and London earlier this year, the San Francisco Matter Of Taste tour continues the global series of exclusive events for RobertParker.com members, non-members and guests. The signature event, the Grand Walkabout Tasting, will feature over 150 outstanding wines, each rated 90 or more points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. This year’s themes will be Right-Bank Varieties and Global Sparkling.

The roster of events will include a VIP preview hour, the Grand Walkabout Tasting, and exclusive rare wine Master Classes. A progression of exceptional wine dinners will take place throughout San Francisco the week of October 30, 2017, including a very special “Vérité Winery Retrospective & Dinner” on November 3, 2017, hosted by Lisa Perroti-Brown MW and Vérité Winery’s Hélène Seillan at Spruce restaurant. The “La Paulée” Grande Finale Dinner, The Ultimate Hedonist’s BYOB Dinner, November 4, 2017, will conclude this extraordinary week, with guests invited to bring up to three bottles of their favorite “90 RP points or above” wines to share with fellow subscribers and members of the Robert Parker Wine Advocate review team. Set in the 12th floor Penthouse of the City Club San Francisco, a sumptuous sit-down, four course haute-cuisine menu will make this an extravagant feast not to miss. Seats are limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. This is a rare chance to participate in a true Hedonist’s Gazette dinner with incredible vintner hosts and reviewers Neal Martin, Monica Larner, and Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW.

The Grand Walkabout Tasting, 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., will include some of the world’s most prized wines, encompassing a range of varietals, regions and styles. Well-regarded winemakers will be pouring their wines, including iconic wineries Abremundos, Cheval des Andes, Lagarde and Marcello (Argentina); Chateau Valandrad, Clos de Sarpe, Fleur Cardinale, Haut Bailly and Charles Heidsieck (France); Hickinbotham, Penley Estate, Giant Steps and Cullen (Australia); Feudi di San Gregorio, Ca’ del Bosco, Le Macchiole and Petrolo (Italy); Cono Sur, Calyptra and Leyda (Chile); Craggy Range, Te Mata Estate and Giesen (New Zealand); Dominio de la Vega (Spain); Prats & Symington (Portugal); Tokara (South Africa); Cadence, JM Cellars and Northstar (Washington); and Daou, La Jota and Peter Michael Winery (California).

In addition to the Grand Walkabout Tasting, six exclusive Master Classes are offered. Wine Advocate Editor-in-Chief reviewer Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW will be hosting “Washington and a Global View of Merlot” – a blind tasting of Washington and new world Merlots including 2013 Blackbird Vineyards Illustration Proprietary Red, 2013 Buty Winery Merlot, Cabernet Franc Conner Lee Vineyard, 2013 Kapcsandy Family Winery Merlot Roberta’s Reserve, 2013 Vérité La Muse, 2014 Cadence Bel Canto, 2014 Craggy Range Sophia Proprietary Red, 2014 Hickinbotham The Revivalist Merlot, 2014 Leonetti Cellar Walla Walla Merlot, 2014 Long Shadows Pedestal Merlot, 2014 Spring Valley Vineyard Uriah, and 2014 Woodward Canyon Estate Reserve.

Wine Advocate reviewer Neal Martin will be hosting “The Best of the Best: South Africa,” focusing on the very best wines of South Africa. The tasting will focus on the artisan South African winemakers, including rare and coveted wines from renowned growers such as Eben Sadie, Chris and Andrea Mullineux, and Bruwer Raats. In addition, Martin will be leading “Right Bank Legends: Rive Droite 2009, 2010, and 2015.” This tasting will examine three exemplary estates from some of the finest terroirs on the Right Bank: Belair-Monange in Saint Emilion, and La Fleur-Petrus and Trotanoy in Pomerol. Attendees will have the opportunity to compare each one from some of the finest vintages of the last 20 years: 2009, 2010 and a preview of 2015. Christian Moueix and Tod Mostero, Winemaker, Dominus Estates, will be in attendance offering insights into these wines and vintages.

Monica Larner, Wine Advocate reviewer, will lead “Italian Cabernet Franc: The Mighty French Grape Finds an Ideal Home in Italy,” where Cabernet Franc expresses its inner Italiano in this fascinating collection of wines. This stubborn grape from France finds a perfect home in the laid-back and sun-drenched vineyards of Italy, discovering its secret soul along the way. Find out why Italy and Cabernet Franc are a match made in heaven. Larner will also lead, with proprietor Luca Sanjust, “A Retrospective of Petrolo’s Galatrona: An Iconic Merlot from the Heart of Tuscany,” a tasting of the 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 vintages. In addition, Larner will host, with proprietor Antonio Capaldo, “A Retrospective of Feudi San Gregorio’s Patrimò: The Wine that put Southern Italy on the World Wine Map,” a tasting of the 1999, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2015 vintages. For a complete list of featured wines as well as tickets for the Grand Walkabout Tasting and all six Master Classes and dinners, please visit www.a-matter-of-taste.com.

“Our members are some of the most passionate and knowledgeable wine consumers in the world. Matter of Taste is the perfect opportunity to share with our members a world-class wine experience they’ll cherish forever,” enthuses Perrotti-Brown.

The Matter of Taste wine experiences began in 2014 and have been in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, London, Chicago, Macau, Miami, Manila, Jakarta, Napa, New York, and San Francisco. Matter of Taste moves to New York on December 3, 2017.

Annual members of RobertParker.com are entitled to discounted tickets ($120 through October 21, 2017) to the Matter of Taste Grand Walkabout Tasting. Non-member discounted tickets ($180 through October 21, 2017) include a one-year membership to RobertParker.com and access to over 500,000 professional wine reviews and articles. A limited number of early entry VIP passes are available for an additional $100. All Master Class prices vary between $100 and $250 depending on the class. Further details and booking information are available at www.a-matter-of-taste.com.

About Robert Parker Wine Advocate

For more than 39 years, The Wine Advocate, and later RobertParker.com, have been the global leader and independent consumer’s guide to fine wine. The brand was established by the internationally recognized Robert M. Parker, Jr., the only critic in any field to receive the highest Presidential honor from three countries – France, Italy and Spain. Robert Parker Wine Advocate provides a wealth of information to its subscribers, including a searchable database of more than 300,000 professional wine ratings and reviews, in addition to articles, videos, daily news content, online retail availability and pricing, an active, professionally moderated bulletin board, a mobile app for easy access to the comprehensive online database of reviews, and much more. For more information, visit www.RobertParker.com.

33rd Annual Winesong Event on Mendocino Coast Raises $700,000 for Mendocino Coast Hospital Foundation

October 16, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

FORT BRAGG, CA – After a spectacular weekend of award-winning wine, fabulous food, fine art, music, merriment, and charitable giving, this year’s 33^rd annual Winesong was declared a resounding success, with increased auction sales and more guests than ever participating in the auctions. Held on the Mendocino Coast on September 8^th and 9^th, highlights included A Pinot Noir Celebration, the Grand Tasting event and a Live and Silent auction. Winesong is the main fundraising event benefiting the Mendocino Coast District Hospital. Produced by the Mendocino Coast Hospital Foundation, all proceeds go towards supporting the local Hospital that serves the entire Mendocino Coast, plus rural inland areas covering nearly half the distance to Highway 101.

Winesong 2017 kicked off on Friday, September 8th with a sold-out insider’s view of spectacular Pinot Noirs at ‘A Pinot Noir Celebration’ hosted by the Little River Inn. Guests enjoyed Pinot Noir tastings and delicious passed hors d’oeuvres, along with a chance to “talk shop” with the winemakers from Mendocino County, Napa and Sonoma Counties. On Saturday, September 9^th, attendees to the Grand Tasting strolled the enchanting Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens while enjoying vintages poured by world-class wineries from Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma and beyond, and bites from nearly 50 fine food purveyors. The celebration continued in the Auction Tents with the always-entertaining main attraction, the Live and Silent Auctions, where nearly 150 lots were on offer – including spectacular wines from a selection of prestigious wine producers, rare and hard-to-find vintages, special vertical and horizontal collections, original paintings and art from highly acclaimed artists, and domestic and international vacation packages.

Bidders at the Live Auction under the big tent helped raise significant funds, with a projected gross of more than $700,000 coming in from the two-day event. After covering production expenses, the Winesong net return will be used to assist the Mendocino Coast District Hospital purchase needed equipment. Some of the most coveted items were the big international trips and spectacular wine auction lots. Leading the way for bidding was a 10-day trip to South Africa, which was doubled at $21,000 per trip! Trips to Italy and Amsterdam each garnered $18,000. An unparalleled 20-bottle collection of Chateau Gruaud Larose Grand Cru went for $16,000 and a rare wine lot featuring companion vineyards from Chateau Pichon Longueville went for $17,000. Another highlight was the “Fund-A-Need” to help provide comfort and care to patients by way of upgraded beds and patient room improvements. The goal was $200,000, which was surpassed by a combination of day of bidders and pre-event gifts to raise $205,000, with 100% of these donations going directly to the Hospital.

“This year’s Winesong had a different layout than in the past, and one of the main purposes was to encourage general admission ticketholders to register for bidder paddles and join the fun,” says Jamie Peters, Event Director for Winesong. “And I’m happy to say that it worked! We had more new bidders than ever and are encouraged ourselves to continue to make it easy and convenient for all guests to participate in the auctions as well as the beautiful tasting.”

Other highlights from the live and silent auction include:

Lot 12: Artist of the Year art piece – “Barn Song” – a 30” x 30” Bas Relief – $14,000
Lot 16A: A surprise lot courtesy of Ann & Dick Grace that includes dinner for 4 at The French Laundry and large format wines from Grace Family Vineyards – $12,000
Lot 22: “Sweethearts in Paradise” – a trip for two couples to Barbados – $13,000
Lot 24: 45” x 60” giclee on canvas by the late Lowell Herrero – $15,000

“We were thrilled with the results of Winesong 2017,” states Michelle Roberts, Executive Director of the Mendocino Coast Hospital Foundation. “The live auction tent was filled with energy as generous donors responded to the call to action to help us fund vital equipment at Mendocino Coast District Hospital. We thank everyone who helped make the day a success. The generosity around this event is truly awe-inspiring.”

About Winesong & the Mendocino Coast Hospital Foundation

Winesong is produced by the Mendocino Coast Hospital Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds for the Mendocino Coast District Hospital. Its mission is to help the small rural Hospital provide the best possible medical care to residents as well as the many visitors to the Mendocino Coast. Winesong proceeds have enabled the Hospital to purchase chemotherapy equipment, portable ultrasound machines for the Emergency Room as well as a state-of-the-art Diagnostic Imaging Center, Cardiology Equipment, a Bedside Medicine Verification System and a Patient Bedside Monitoring & Alert system.

For further information, please visit http://winesong.org or call (707) 961-4688.

Perlis Picks: From Abe Schoener — Wine Study in the Loire: Lessons in the Foundation of Winemaking – Part Four

September 30, 2017 by Michael Perlis Leave a Comment

A Continuation of Abe Schoener’s [The Scholium Project]…

A NEW LESSON IN THE MORAL NATURE OF WINEMAKING: LES JARDINS DES ESMÉRALDINS

The Moral Thinking of the Wizard

There is a little more magic to mention: the invisible cellar, the shuttered chateau. But I do not want to emphasize this. Xavier does not play any of this up: like the vineyards, all of this disappears. There is no show: only wine. He does not even make a show of his methods; he never mentions his own devotion; he never draws distinctions between his way of working and his neighbors’. He does not celebrate or elevate what he does; he is utterly matter of fact. He never mentions “purity” or any other value. His only point of pride, if I read him right, is his wine’s relation to time. His only theory, insofar as I could grasp, is related to what he calls “matière”– “matter.” His labels have alchemical references (see photo); I think that he means something old-fashioned and metaphysical by this. He does not just mean “matter” or even something like information. He talks about his farming being devoted to translating matter from the field (not just the soil) to the grapes, and his pressing being devoted to translating the matter from the grapes to the juice. The density of this wine is due to this attention to matter– and also the complexity, I think. But this means that “matière” is not just some concentration of molecules, but some kind of system, with architecture, proportion, interrelation. For what else is complexity? His matter, I think, is something more like spirit or soul– not necessarily in the Christian sense, but in a way that Aristotle would understand.

Soul, of course, brings up the question of spirituality and devotion. I thought of his pressing all night and then getting up the morning to harvest fruit. I thought how differently we work at Scholium. For us winemaking is intensely intellectual and sensual– you know that– but it is also intensely athletic in a way that we love. We pride ourselves in a very American way on how fast we can get the job done well. One cannot help but call Xavier’s work “spiritual,” and I mean this only in a good way, not as a stereotype or a caricature. You could only call our work “spiritual” in a very narrow but perhaps equally beautiful way: the spirituality of Huck Finn, a very American spirituality.

It was wonderful and important for me to encounter this difference and to reflect on it.

Would we– me, Alex, Brenna, Koko, would any of us make better wines if we sat with the press all night? I don’t think so– but for us to do that and not simply be aping a quiet wizard in the Loire, for us to do that, we would have to change to our deepest metaphysical core. In this respect, what this amazing visit emphasized is that, in spite of my 1000 careful words…winemaking is not fundamentally about technique, protocol, regime or even about care. It is about decisions and stances that reach to one’s roots.

These two excellent reports by Betrand Celce are very helpful, especially on farming, and contain amazing details and photographs about Xavier’s caves. I tried not to rely on them at all and to base my report only on our conversation, but I know that I was influenced (and informed) by having read these. It is also worth noting how far ahead of the curve Betrand was: they date from 2011.

www.wineterroirs.com/2011/06/natural_wine_tasting_event_paris.html

www.wineterroirs.com/2011/08/xavier_caillard_jardins_esmeraldins_saumur.html

A note on Xavier’s labels: The typography is mostly fantastic (except for mise-en-bouteille information) and involves some straightforward imitations of Roman epigraphy in a circle at the top. (We will read this in a moment.) The rest of the words are written in the hand-drawn letters of a fantastic alphabet, the majority of which interweave alchemical symbols with the Modern Latin letters. The words in the circle are a quotation from the Latin Vulgate translation of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans: hora est jam nos de somno surgere — “now is the time to wake up from our slumber.” The allusions to alchemy are very interesting to me and not surprising. What is more unexpected is a quotation from the Vulgate. Xavier’s thinking is simple in its commitment and focus; but complex in what you might call its metaphysical underpinnings. Pay attention to every gesture.

Michael Perlis here again. A big thank you to Abe Schoener for allowing me to share this with Eve’s Wine 101 readers. And a thank you to Eve Bushman too for indulging my wish to do so.

From LocalWineEvents.com – Heart of Burgundy Wine & Food Tour

August 16, 2017 by evebushman 2 Comments

Five full days plus dinner with your guide on the evening of your arrival day – October 9th to October 14th, Cost: 2,775 euros per person – maximum 6 guests.

In October 2017 there will be a totally unique, wonderful wine tour in Burgundy and you can still join it! It includes a cellar visits, barrel tasting, cheese and wine pairing, truffle hunt, wine and chocolate tasting, vineyard visits and the most delicious dishes you could ever hope to enjoy…

A Wine and Food Tour with a difference

This is a wine tour in Burgundy that’s like no other. It will be limited to just six people and for five full days and two evenings you’ll not only be totally spoiled but will enjoy an introduction to stunning Burgundy in a unique and fabulous way. You don’t need to know anything about wine to enjoy this trip which takes in some of the most famous and beautiful vineyards in the world, although if you do, you will already know how amazing the wines of Burgundy can be.

The adventure starts in the medieval town of Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy, home of the famous Hospices de Beaune (Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune) a former charitable almshouse founded in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin, chancellor of Burgundy, as a hospital for the poor. The Hospices de Beaune is one of France’s most prestigious historic monuments. Its flamboyant Gothic architecture, its polychrome roofs and a renowned vineyard make this museum one of Burgundy’s gems. of course you’ll be visiting this with a private guide and tasting some of the amazing wines during the course of our cellar visits during the week.

Wine tasting, gourmet food and spell-binding villages in Burgundy

Each day on the trip you’ll be visiting different domains – some of them opening their doors especially for you. You’ll enjoy some of the very best wines and gourmet food in the most beautiful parts of Burgundy .

Discover then the authentic Heart of Burgundy on my fun and informative wine and food tour in the beautiful Côte d’Or (the golden slopes) of Burgundy. In my 12th season of tours, I am very passionate and proud of this historic and diverse wine region which led me to create a special signature tour to share the treasures of Burgundy’s ‘terroir’ from carefully selected cellars to delicious cheeses, regional specialities and a whole lot more, with you.

Arrival Day: (Evening) – Meet with your guide for the week at 19h30 at your hotel in Beaune for a welcome dinner at a beautiful 1* Michelin restaurant in the heart of Beaune.

Day 1 – Wine Tasting lunch in gorgeous Cote Chalonnaise

Today you will meet, talk and taste with some welcoming winemakers in their delightful cellars in these picturesque villages. Tasting both pinot noir and chardonnay from different producers, the highlight of the day is our leisurely tasting lunch, pairing excellent wines with a four course lunch at a chateau estate in the village of Mercurey.

Day 2 – Private Cooking Course, Lunch, Vineyard Tour & Tasting

Learn to cook traditional Burgundian fare with our French chef in his renovated family home in a famous wine village (or if you prefer, modern French cuisine with a Burgundian twist in a professional kitchen (exclusive to our clients) inclusive of aperitifs and a three course lunch. Morning cooking session followed by a delicious lunch with wine and after lunch touring the famous vineyards & villages of the Cote de Nuits, stopping for an excellent cellar visit in one of the renowned wine villages, tasting from village to grand cru wines and including a walk through the vineyards to the famous cross of Romanee Conti. The vineyard of Romanee Conti produces the most expensive wine in the world! You will also be able to experience a visit to the Chateau de Clos Vougeot built be cistercian monks before the french revolution.

Day 3 – Cote de Beaune, Wine & Chocolate

Today it’s the turn of the Cote de Beaune famed for its magnificent chardonnays (amongst the best in the world) & lighter red pinots. First stop in Meursault tasting some lovely reds and whites from both barrel and bottles followed by a tour of the famed grand cru vineyards of Meursault, Puligny Montrachet & Chassagne Montrachet amongst others. After a delicious typically Burgundian lunch in Volnay (on the terrace if fine) we take a break from tasting on a leisurely spectacular drive up into Hautes Cotes where you will be entirely surrounded by vineyards and enjoying some of the finest views in Burgundy. Our final visit of the day is an artisanal chocolate shop where I will show you how well certain wines pair with the right chocolate.

Day 4 – Truffle Hunt, Cheese Tasting & Bubbles Day

First stop is to a family owned cheese venue, where you will enjoy some of the very typical, unpasturised cheeses of Burgundy pairing with both red and white wines. Next is a truffle hunt with a very cute dog and his master in a little forest in the Burgundian countryside set against the backdrop of an wonderful 11th Century chateau. After sampling some of their delicious truffle specialities, we drive to a neighbouring village for a lovely lunch in rustic surroundings. An enjoyable drive through the hills and villages leads us to the vllage of Savigny les Beaune where you will have your first taste of sparkling wine ‘Cremant de Bourgogne’ – Burgundy’s answer to champagne in wine domaine of several generations.

Day 5– Market Day in Beaune.

This morning you will have some time on your own meandering around Beaune’s spectacular market, full of colourful vegetables and fruits, delicious cheeses, olives and pates. With all the wonderful shops in Beaune you may wish to fit in some last minute shopping before departure. After lunch (at your own choice – maybe a picnic from your purchases at the market) we will visit the only remaining mustard museum where you will be able to mix your own mustard. The last cellar visit of the week will be in the oldest cellars in Beaune for our private candlelit wine tasting. This evening I invite you to join me for a last night gourmet dinner in a little village on the outskirts of Beaune, enjoying aperitifs on the terrace before dinner.

Additional Tour Day:

Medieval Burgundy

Enjoy a relaxed day in stunning medieval villages filled with flowers and boasting gorgeous views. First stop Semur en Auxois with its four turrets towering over the River Armancon, stopping at the market & relaxing with a drink. Next is Flavigny sur Ozerain, classed as one of the most beautiful villages in France (of ‘Chocolat’ fame), in time to enjoy a leisurely walking tour through Flavigny’s delightful streets followed by a delicious lunch at a Ferme Auberge run by local farmers’ wives with fresh produce from their farms & gardens. After lunch, a fun & informative tasting of local wines before driving across country to Chateauneuf en Auxois with its fairytale 12C Château, returning to Beaune taking the scenic route through the beautiful Ouche Valley

This tour can be customised for private groups. The tour price does not include accommodation but the accommodation can be arranged for you through Burgundy on a Plate

Burgundy on a Plate
Boulevard Clemenceau
Beaune, Bourgogne 21200

http://www.localwineevents.com/events/detail/670353/Beaune-Heart-of-Burgundy-Wine-Food-Tour-October-9th-to-October-14th

Tasting and Getting to Know: Chateau Angelus

June 2, 2017 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Getting to meet the newest (8th Generation) Estate Director and third female Director in the history of Chateau Angelus, Stéphanie de Boüard-Rivoal, was a huge treat for me. Add that we would meet over dinner at Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air – and taste at least five different vintages – and I was over the top with delight.

What I Learned

In 2012 Chateau Angelus, a Premier Grand Cru, was awarded a “class A” distinction.

The 2012 vintage bottle is completely different looking from the others with gold embossing instead of a front label. You can read more about it in this Forbes article.

The bell shown on the label does exist, and rings three times daily. You can hear it yourself without traveling to Saint-Emilion here. There is now a chip hidden in that bell to avoid counterfeiting.

The name Angelus is in reference to a Catholic prayer.

The estate vineyards are predominantly Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

Prices, between $350 to $450, can increase 100% after release. (The restaurant had one vintage for $880.)

The Wine

Stéphanie was enchanting, the venue and food lovely – all eclipsed by some remarkable vintages that were chosen to show us the range and depth of the wines. We tasted in this order:

2014: (Bottled September 2016, this latest release marks the 30^th vintage with a banner on the bottle). Ripe and dark with black fruit as well as raspberry, earth and smoke. Remarkably open and ready to drink. 94 Eve pts.

2012: (With a gold embossed bottle in honor of the new class A distinction.) Great fruit flavors like plum and blueberry were followed by mushroom, spice and had a great backbone. This was my favorite. 97 Eve pts.

2007: (Stéphanie said she loved this one.) Big fruit that included black plums, blackberry, a bit softer on the spice, cigar and dark tannins that were starting to soften. The red fruit really opened up in the mouth. 94 Eve pts.

2006: The fruit – red to black – had aged perfectly; the wine was dry, mildly spiced and held a perfect balance. 97 Eve pts.

2010: (Thought to be the most outstanding.) Bolder fruit, peppery, tannic, Stéphanie said it was opulent, one of the best they’ve produced, and my second favorite. 97 Eve pts.

http://www.angelus.com/en/

https://www.instagram.com/chateauangelus/

https://www.facebook.com/chateauAngelus

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Tasting 2013: My Opinion of the 2016 Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux U.S. Tour

February 12, 2016 by evebushman 2 Comments

Once again we made our way through Bordeaux, France by way of the Union des Grands Crus (UGC) de Bordeaux tasting in LA. This year the only difference was that I could visualize the wineries by memory having had a brief visit to Bordeaux last summer. I think, having seen just a handful of these wineries myself, it made the tasting that much more magical.

(From Our Bordeaux Visit:Wine 101ers Dream Part I: Visiting Bordeaux’s Château Le Grand Verdus and Château Petit Village, Wine 101ers Dream Visiting Bordeaux Part II: Château De Sales, Wine 101ers Dream Part III: Visiting Bordeaux’s Château Leoville Poyferre and Wine 101ers Dream Part IV: Visiting Bordeaux’s Château Pichon Baron.)

This year Eddie and I attended the trade/press afternoon portion of the event at the Fairmont Miramar hotel in Santa Monica, the public event would be held that same evening at the Santa Monica Airport’s Museum of Flying.

Bushman Takeaways

Stateside Bordeaux fans have a tendency, in my opinion, to generalize the entirety of a young vintage year from Bordeaux as either a good one or a bad one.

I simply can’t imagine how, logically, one could say, hey Napa year 2000/whatever was a bad year across the board. Bordeaux, like Napa, is an uber-large area with different terroir (soils, winemakers, weather, valleys and grapes) that make each unique.

There is no way I could ever say an entire area produced a not-so-great vintage year, what I will say, again in my own opinion, is not to listen to the fans/experts but to be guided by your own palate and budget.

So, without further adieu, our favorites are underlined in bold below and an under 2-minute YouTube slide show can be seen here.

Wine List at Press Time

Chateau Angludet
Chateau Bastor-Lamontagne
Chateau Beaumont
Chateau Beauregard
Chateau Beychevelle
Chateau Branaire-Ducru
Chateau Brane-Cantenac
Chateau Canon
Chateau Canon-La-Gaffeliere
Chateau Cantemerle
Chateau Cantenac Brown
Chateau Carbonnieux
Chateau Chasse-Spleen
Domaine de Chevalier
Chateau Citran
Chateau Clarkegaf
Chateau Clerc Milon
Chateau Clinet
Chateau Coufran
Chateau Coutet
Chateau d’Armailhac
Chateau Dassault
Chateau Dauzac
Chateau de Camensac
Chateau de Chantegrive
Chateau de Fargues
Chateau de Fieuzal

Chateau de France
Chateau de Lamarque
Chateau de Pez
Chateau de Rayne Vigneau
Chateau Doisy Daene
Chateau du Tertre
Chateau Fourcas Hosten
Chateau Gazin
Chateau Giscours
Chateau Gloria
Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste
Chateau Grand-Puy-Ducasse
Chateau Gruaud Larose
Chateau Guiraud
Clos Haut-Peyraguey
Chateau Kirwan
Chateau La Cabanne
Chateau La Couspaude
Chateau La Dominique
Chateau La Lagune
Chateau La Louviere
Chateau La Pointe
Chateau La Tour Blanche
Chateau La Tour Carnet
Chateau La Tour de By
Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey
Chateau Lafon-Rochet

Chateau Lagrange
Chateau Langoa Barton
Chateau Larrivet Haut-Brion
Chateau Lascombes
Chateau Latour-Martillac
Chateau Le Bon Pasteur
Chateau Leoville Barton
Chateau Leoville Poyferre
Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion
Chateau Lynch-Bages
Chateau Lynch-Moussas
Chateau Malartic-Lagraviere
Chateau Malescot Saint-Exupery
Chateau Marquis de Terme
Chateau Maucaillou
Chateau Olivier
Chateau Ormes de Pez
Chateau Pape Clement
Chateau Phelan Segur
Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron
Chateau Prieure-Lichine
Chateau Rauzan-Segla
Chateau Saint-Pierre
Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte
Chateau Suduiraut
Chateau Talbot
Chateau Troplong Mondot
Chateau Villemaurine

Eve’s Wine 101 Event Picks: Garagiste Southern Exposure 2/13-14, American Wine Specialist course Feb 2016 (this is the one you can take with me, so let me know if you signed up: Eve@EveWine101.com), LA Essentials 2/20, Paso Robles Distillery Trail presents Fire and Ice 2/27, Food Fare 3/3, Taste of Solvang 3/16-20 and Paso Zin Weekend 3/18-20.

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years. She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Wine 101ers Dream Part IV: Visiting Bordeaux’s Château Pichon Baron

August 14, 2015 by evebushman Leave a Comment

Talk about a gorgeous winery! The iconic grounds alone should make you gasp and we took lots of photos and selfies before even starting the tour. (Facebook album link here.)

Once our guide met us we learned that the winery started in 1694 with 73 hectares when the Baron de Longeville married the daughter of a winemaker. The land, much like Leoville (see Part III of this series that ran on 8/7/15) was eventually divided between five family members in 1850. In 2012 the “Baron” was added as a nickname for the winery. After the revolution the French church confiscated all vineyards. The baron had survived and was able to buy more vineyards to add to his estate.

Eddie Bushman getting the royal treatment.

Notes

The largest varietal grown on the estate is Cabernet Sauvignon with 40 hectares, and they only have “a drop of Merlot.”

It takes two vines to make one bottle.

No 100-year old vines in the vineyard like we have in the U.S.

The Château was built in 1851.

Their bottling program is also like Leoville in that the wines spend 6 months in barrel before blending, and then another 18 months in barrels.

They only use French oak but the “recipe changes every year” so they get the barrels the way they want them (a degree of toasting) from the coopers.

All wines comprise at least two grape varietals in the blend.

They use the gravity flow method to deliver juice to vats from above; they also have vats both above and below the floor.

“Progress is made in the vineyards” not by watching what other wineries are doing.

The tasting room, much like many we saw, is large and inviting in an effort to do one thing like Napa: make the wine accessible to the consumer. (We made appointments, which are necessary. You can do that, hire a guide or schedule a tour.)

They produce three wines, two are second labels. Thankfully we got to sample a few:

2012 Les Tourrelles

Blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

Balanced tart fruit and spice, well done, look for it at K & L and Wally’s. 91 Eve Points.

2012 Les Griffons

55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon

Darker fruit, pepper, more depth, smoke, can be found offered by the glass in some restaurants as it’s a Drink Now wine. 93 Eve Points.

2009 Château Pichon Baron

Due to the vineyard yield (it was a hot dry vintage) it is 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Merlot.

Dusty plums, beautiful dark fruit layers and perfect balance with tannins. Loved this one, said it was perfect for the American Palate. 96 Eve points

2012 Château Pichon Baron

80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot

Dark, dry, tart and balanced. Perfect when aged. 95 Eve points.

http://www.pichonlongueville.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ch%C3%A2teau-Pichon-Longueville-Baron/113075185369167?fref=ts

(Appointment courtesy Planet Bordeaux)

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years. She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a guest judge for the L.A. International Wine Competition. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Wine 101ers Dream Part III: Visiting Bordeaux’s Château Leoville Poyferre

August 7, 2015 by evebushman Leave a Comment

An hour’s drive from Bordeaux’s center is St. Julien – where you will see Châteaux, some directly across the street or next door to one another with vines as far as the naked eye can see. We hit the mother load. We took photos where we could (see Facebook album here.) and even found a cafe tucked behind Château Lynch Bages where I had my first hamburger in two weeks (this trip also included over a week in Paris).

Château Leoville Poyferre

2^nd Grand Cru Classé, Saint-Julien. Léoville is situated in St Julien in the heart of the Médoc. The origin of the domain goes back to the French Revolution, when Léoville was the largest estate in the Médoc. (Appointment courtesy Planet Bordeaux)

Sunrise at Chateau Leoville Poyferre.

Our host, Morgan, explained that St. Julien is a small region of Bordeaux – there are a total of 8,000 Château in Bordeaux! The Medoc area has 200 acres with 23 Château in St. Julien with 19 owners.

They make three wines, the first has the “Château” name on the label, the second is called “Pavillon de Leoville Poyferre” and made with the youngest wines, and the third is named “Château Moulin Riche” from the area the grapes come from.

Notes

The winery makes wine from four grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.

The soil is made up of sand, rock and clay. It is very deep and the rocks heat up during the day and “gives back (the heat) at night.”

No one waters the soil.

2009 was a very good vintage as it was good weather for Cabernet that does well in colder weather. (Warmer weather is needed for Merlot.) Robert Parker gave the vintage a 100. 2009 was also a good year, Parker gave it a 98. The 11s and 12s are “classic.”

Petit Verdot leaves have three parts to them while Merlot, Cabernet and Cabernet Franc have five distinct sections.

New meets the old as the visitor’s center is across the courtyard from the original Château.

The Leoville name is attached to three separate Châteaux that were once all the same family, and are now owned by three families since 1840: Le Cases, Barton and Poyferre. Each own between 150 to 200 acres. “An imaginary line separates the estates…and they are friends and not foes.”

The winery has unique temperature-regulated concave stainless steel vats that allow more color and extraction. The vats are different sizes allowing for different varietal yields, no blending is done with the vats.

After de-stemming and two hand sorts the grapes are sorted by a machine that pulls out green and too-small berries that “don’t suit them.” The state-of-the-art computer program photographs the grapes to determine which won’t make the cut. Similar machines are used to sort tomatoes so that only the perfect sized ones are sold in supermarkets.

Wines leave the vats to spend 6 months in oak barrels, then they are blended, and put back into 80% new oak barrels for 12 months. Barrels are only used 1-2 times. They cost 800 Euros new and are usually only worth 50 Euros when they are sold to others for use.

Egg whites, 5 to 6 of them per barrel, are used to clarify the wines and reduce impurities.

They are currently blending the 14s and bottling the 13s. The 13s will remain in bottle for 6 months before sold.

It is the law to allow 3 years from the time of harvest before selling finished bottles. It is also the law that no wine exceeds 15% alcohol.

We saw a kosher vat, the first we’ve ever seen, and most of the kosher wine is exported to New York.

Most wines are sold to English-speaking countries.

The vintages currently thought to be good years are from 2000, 03, 05, 09 and 10.

The Cuvelier family has owned the winery since 1920, their personal cellar collection goes back to 1920 as well.

We tasted:

2011 Pavillon that had bright red fruit, black peppery, young but can be drunk now. 91 Eve points. A 2009 Moulin Riche was considered “the best vintage here” and it was my fave of the three with lush black fruit, smoke, blackberry jam, raisins and good tannins. 94 Eve points. Finally the 08 Château Leoville Poyferre made me think, whoa, was there a fire near the vineyard? GREAT smoke followed by dark plum and even darker chocolate. I’d give it a little age…but you don’t have to! 95 Eve pts.

http://www.leoville-poyferre.fr/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/chateau.leoville.poyferre?fref=ts

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years. She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a guest judge for the L.A. International Wine Competition. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Wine 101ers Dream Visiting Bordeaux Part II: Château De Sales

July 31, 2015 by evebushman Leave a Comment

If you are lucky enough to visit Château De Sales in Pomerol, and have the owner Bruno De Lambert meet you for your tour, you must ask to see inside his Château. I can’t write very much about what I learned while in his home, but suffice it to say, his stories were very entertaining, even for my 20 year-old daughter that ISN’T a wine drinker!

My family and Mr. De Lambert behind the Chateau.

De Lambert explained that the story of the winery was really a story about the family. According to the website it is “the largest estate in the Pomerol appellation and has been owned by the same family for more than five hundred years.”

The home is all one level, completed in the 17th century. The short set of stairs we climbed to enter the home are the original stones and as you enter De Lambert may point out the indentation in the stone floor from the many years of foot traffic.

Worn tapestries (ask De Lambert to tell you a story about those) adorn several of the walls and an antique book of maps lays open to a page of the thirteen colonies…and past that, in French, the words for “we don’t know” what lands lay beyond.

De Lambert pointed out interesting architectural designs such as a repeated face over doors and chimneys, carvings placed vertically on one wall and horizontally on another.

Notes:

There are no vines visible to the eye from this remarkable Château. (See Facebook album link here.)

A train can be seen from the Château that has been there since 1850, bringing passengers, and De Lambert’s family every weekend, back and forth from Paris and beyond.

There are windows that are now filled with stone due to a window tax.

The smallest estate in Pomerol, 1/2 acre, used to just be a garden.

There are 22 Châteaux in Pomerol that have over 22 acres.

The trees on the property won’t be cut down to make room for vines, the idea would be an “impossible” one for De Lambert. There are stories of the De Sales trees being a common spot for romantic trysts.

The vineyard is only seen from the front of the Châteaux property.

De Lambert believes that “terroir is…soil and climate…(and it’s) through the vines (that) the winemaker gives the maximum of quality. (It’s not) a technical style of wine.” Instead, De Lambert says, you “respect what the terroir gives you.”

The grapes are all handpicked and about 40 people are needed for harvest.

No yeast is added to their wines.

Two wines are made, the primary and secondary labels. The remaining balance is sold in bulk.

All of the wines only spend “9 months in wood” to insure that the fruit doesn’t “disappear.”

The original cellar was built in 1893, the new cellar was added in 1970 and now 100% is bottled at the Château when the bottling truck rolls in.

For the last 40 years De Lambert has sold to the same 5 Bordeaux merchants.

We tasted both the primary and secondary labels, both priced under 23 Euros, both predominantly Merlot followed by Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon: Château Chantalouette 2011 and Château De Sales 2011. Neither deserves less than 90 Eve points! An amazing price point that a wine 101er could easily appreciate. It’s important to try these wines when you can find them (60% are imported to the U.S. and Belgium, and we already found them at Wally’s). Not all Bordeaux are costly.

De Lambert commented, it’s all about “family, estate and architecture (as that’s what makes us) unique.”

http://www.Château-de-sales.com/welcome-eng.html

(Appointment courtesy Bordeaux Office of Tourism)

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years. She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a guest judge for the L.A. International Wine Competition. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com