Bordeaux
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Posted: October 19, 2021Categories: Bordeaux
Read more »What's common between oysters and uni?
Both can be eaten raw - some say both are best eaten raw. Both are acquired taste, not easy to swallow for the uninitiated. Starting today, one can also say both can be paired with Rieussec, the Sauternes relaunched.
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Posted: September 12, 2021
Read more »It's not an everyday event that a new wine is introduced by a major Bordeaux producer. Last Friday, Château Angélus unveiled its new creation: Hommage à Elisabeth Bouchet (A Tribute to Elisabeth Bouchet) 2016. Behind the wine is a rather beautiful love story in the family.
Elisabeth Bouchet was the great-grandmother of Stéphanie de Boüard-Rivoal, current CEO of Chateau Angélus, co-owner of the property with her father Hubert de Boüard de Laforest. Stephanie’s great-grandfather, Maurice de Boüard de Laforest, planted Cabernet Franc grapes extensively on his property in honor of his beloved Elisabeth Bouchet. Bouchet, as it turns out, is well-known on the Right Bank as the other name used to call Cabernet Franc, a well planted grape varietal in Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. It is the Right Bank's equivalent of the Left Bank's Cabernet Sauvignon,
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Posted: September 01, 2021Categories: Bordeaux
Read more »Our selections for September 2021 are:
R de Rieussec 2016, Sauternes Rated 88-90 (Lisa Perotti-Brown) - R de Rieussec is a dry white from the portfolio of Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) you may have never heard of! This stunning, crystalline expression of dry white wine from one of the world’s leading Sauternes producers, Château Rieussec, is an exceedingly rare find. Though the world may be more familiar with the golden, honeyed Sauternes this Premier Cru Classé produces, R de Rieussec is a treasure in its own right. For those who appreciate beautifully made dry white Bordeaux, R de Rieussec is a hidden gem of a wine, with very few bottles imported into the United States.
Clos du Clocher 2016, Pomerol, Rated: 94 (Lisa Perotti-Brown) - Clos du Clocher is one of the
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Posted: August 02, 2021Categories: Bordeaux
Read more »Our selections for August 2021 are:
- Château de Fieuzal Blanc 2014, Pessac-Léognan, rated 91-93 (Neal Martin) - Those who love thirst-quenching, fresh, zesty wines should look no further than the offerings of Château de Fieuzal Blanc. This bright wine with beautifully balanced acidity is the perfect Summer wine and Laguna Cellar’s answer to beating the heat. Château de Fieuzal is one of the lucky Graves Crus Classés within the prestigious Pessac-Léognan carveout in the area formerly known as the Graves region of the Left Bank. This sprawling 70-hectare vineyard has a mere 10 hectares devoted to production of white wines and is planted with a mixture of crisp Sauvignon Blanc and the richly honeyed varietal, Semillon. The team is consulted by the legendary Hubert de Boüard of the Saint-Émilion Grand Crus Classés Class A Estate, Château Angélus.
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Posted: July 02, 2021Categories: Bordeaux
Read more »Our selections for July 2021 are:
Château Smith Haut Lafitte Les Hauts de Smith Rosé 2020, Bordeaux, not rated - Summer is here, and we would like to shake things up a bit by introducing our subscribers to one of our favorite rosés: Les Hauts de Smith Rosé from the renowned Château Smith Haut Lafitte. Château Smith Haut Lafitte has experienced an incredible rise in quality and critical acclaim over the past few vintages. A huge push has been made toward organic viticulture in the vineyard, and this is reflected in the amazing accolades over their latest vintages of grand vin. Though many think Bordeaux is a region that only produces red wine, Pessac-Léognan is also known for its top-quality whites, and now rosé. Production of rosé has been increasing throughout the region and more and more estates are crafting
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Posted: June 27, 2021
Read more »Have you tasted Château Figeac? Do you have it in your cellars? Why do we ask these questions? Allow us to elaborate.
Unlike the Left Bank classification of Médoc which dates back to 1855, Saint-Émilion revises its classification periodically. The next revision is slated to be in 2022. That’s where Château Figeac comes in. Figeac is one of the estates currently classified as Premiers Grands Crus Classés. This is a shortlist of 18 producers (out of hundreds) that represent the best of Saint-Émilion. To be recognized as a member of this group is already quite the honor. However, the crème de la crème would not be a French expression if we cannot identify a handful few that stand out among peers, nonetheless. To recognize its best Premiers Grands Crus Classés, Saint-Émilion has its A list: the original two -
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Posted: June 24, 2021
Read more »2020 was a historical year for many, but for the Super Second Saint-Julién powerhouse Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, it was especially significant. The 2020 vintage for Ducru-Beaucaillou marked their tricentennial anniversary. If there’s ever an excuse to raise a glass to something, three hundred years of excellent winemaking would certainly be it!
To commemorate this historic event, Ducru-Beaucaillou has decided to celebrate in style and redesign their classic label, just for this year. The gentleman who helmed this decision was none other than the legendary Bruno Borie. Ever the contemporary art enthusiast, Mr. Borie stated, “It was our conviction that the creation of this ephemeral label designed expressly for Château Ducru-Beaucaillou’s three hundredth vintage had to be seen as an event in and of itself. It was necessarily inspired by a poetic rebirth of Ducru-Beaucaillou’s legendary label, which
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Posted: June 21, 2021Read more »
If you are in Paris, after visiting Arc de Triomphe, a 20-minute stroll down Champs-Élysées will take you to La Réserve Paris, a lovely hotel where you can enjoy either a light or a fancy lunch at the Michelin-starred La Gabriel restaurant. If you are in the mood for wine, their menu offers a fabulous selection of different vintages from Château Cos d'Estournel.
That is no coincidence. La Réserve Paris and Château Cos d'Estournel share the same devoted owner, Michel Reybier, who created an intensely intimate and luxurious experience that took luxury spa and hotel to a new level before acquiring the storied estate in Bordeaux.
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Posted: June 20, 2021
Read more »A Must-Buy Of 2020
Happy Father's Day! If you want to top off your Father's Day gift, here is an idea: Château Canon 2020 is a must-buy of the vintage, a potential 100 point wine, according to more than one wine critic.
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Posted: June 02, 2021Categories: Bordeaux
Read more »Our selections for June 2021 are:
Anwilka 2007 - A mere 7 kilometers from the ocean in the prestigious region of Stellenbosch, this fabulous red blend is one of the most stunning expressions of South African red wine to date. This star of a property was purchased in the late 1990s and an extensive replanting of the vineyards subsequently followed. It was a team effort among three friends: Lowell Jooste – the former 4th generation owner of Klein Constantia before he relocated to southern California, Hubert de Boüard of Château Angélus in Saint-Émilion, and Bruno Prats, the former owner of Château Cos d’Estournel. The original vintage of Shiraz-Cabernet blend was released in 2005. The blend beguiled the palates of critics like Robert Parker, who described it as, “the finest red wine I have ever had from South Africa.” Shortly after the
