Wine of the Month - September 2021

Laguna Cellar Wine of the Month Selection for September 2021

• R de Rieussec, Sauternes 2016, rated: 88-90 (Lisa Perotti-Brown) 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 white Bordeaux, R de Rieussec is a hidden gem of a wine, with very few bottles imported to the United States.  Château Rieussec is owned by the Domaines Barons des Rothschild, who bring the same technological prowess and know-how used to manage the legendary First Growth, Château Lafite Rothschild, to Sauternes.  R de Rieussec is produced at Château Rieussec from some of the same prized vines that go directly into the First Growth Sauternes.  This mixture of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc is a powerful, energetic wine with plenty of aromas of tropical fruit – perfect for the warm summer weather we’ve all been experiencing lately.  The slightest kiss of French oak adds the perfect amount of toast and structure, just slightly tempering the wine’s steely character.  R de Rieussec has tremendous ageing potential, due to the Sémillon in the wine.  This exotic, tropical varietal is sure to develop distinctive nutty flavors as the wine ages throughout the years. With all that in mind, this wine is elegant, fresh, and pure, we doubt you’ll be able to wait for it to age.
• Clos du Clocher, Pomerol 2016, rated: 94 Clos du Clocher is one of the best kept secrets in Pomerol.  A true insider’s wine, this small property is home to some extraordinary terroir with some of the best neighbors in the entire appellation! The cult producer Le Pin is down the same road as this 4.6-hectare property.  Château Trotanoy is a mere stone’s throw away as is Château Vieux Château Certan.  Not to mention, Clos du Clocher sits on some plots of blue clay, the type of soil that made Petrus the unique wine it is today.  Yet with all the fanfare and luminous neighbors, Clos du Clocher still remains one of the best values on the market.  Since the 2000s, scores have been steadily going up.  Who knows how long the price will remain in this range when the word gets out!  This richly distinctive Pomerol is sure to beguile and seduce with its fabulous integration of black fruit and floral characteristics, and though it has the traditional blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, Clos du Clocher needs a little bit of time prior to being enjoyed.  Clos du Clocher is an age worthy, succulent and hedonistic wine, and a darling among wine critics.  A truly elegant Pomerol, with focused black fruit and aromas of dark truffles. This wine is versatile and can be enjoyed now or for decades to come. 
• Château Langoa Barton, Saint-Julién 2012, rated: 90 - For those who love the masculine, cedar characteristics of the finest Pauillacs coupled with the graceful sensuality of a Saint-Julién, Château Langoa Barton is the perfect wine to discover.  The history of this estate is inextricably linked with the Super Second Château Léoville Barton, whose meteoric rise to fame was recently cemented by the 2016 vintage being crowned Wine Spectator’s # 1 Wine of 2019.  The connection between these two estates is strong, because the wine at Château Léoville Barton is made at Château Langoa Barton.  They have been owned by the  Barton family since it was classified as a Third Growth in 1855.  The estate is currently run by Lillian Barton Sartorius, whose commitment to cultivating excellence at this property is admirable to say the least.  Lillian Barton manages the property with a very hands on approach, and one can often run into her at trade tastings around the globe, pouring and sharing her vast array of knowledge about this estate.  Château Langoa Barton has received some exciting praise from critics of late, and the wines continue to get better and better with each passing vintage.  This stunningly pure, plump and supple Saint-Julién has plenty of ageing potential and finesse.  A guaranteed crowd pleaser! 
• Les Griffons de Pichon Baron, Pauillac 2016 rated 93-95 (Jane Anson) - We wanted to end September’s Wine of the Month strong and figured what better wine to choose than Les Griffons de Pichon Baron? The Second Wine to the legendary Pauillac powerhouse, Château Pichon Baron is as dynamic, vigorous and energetic as its older brother – the grand vin.  With all that in mind, Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is significantly more approachable in its youth and ready to be enjoyed right away.  The vines that go into Les Griffons are sourced from the more graveled plots near the Gironde – perfect for cultivating the star varietal at this Super Second property, Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is tempered with a bit of Merlot for added softness and succulence.  The selection of vines that end up in Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is rigorous, and each plot is meticulously tended.  It is aged with some new French oak for added dimension, and under the brilliant direction of Christian Seely and his team couldn’t be tasting better.  Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is full of hefty dark fruit and smoky spices.  This wine is the perfect Summer grilling wine, and it practically begs to be paired with the richness of a juicy steak.  Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is a fabulous introduction to the wine at this incomparable property on the Left Bank.

   

R de Rieussec 2016 -"The 2016 R de Rieussec has a strict and quite stony bouquet with dew-speckled green apples and a touch of freshly sliced pear. The palate is well balanced with touches of peach skin and nectarine, a crisp line of acidity with pleasant salinity towards the finish. Drink this dry white from the Rieussec team over the next five or six years." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate, Rating: 88-90

Clos du Clocher 2016 - "The 2016 Clos du Clocher is medium to deep garnet-purple colored and very earthy on the nose with cigar box, forest floor, truffles and charcoal aromas with black cherries and baked red and black plums. Elegantly styled, the palate is medium-bodied with perfumed fruit, a fine-grained frame and a long refreshing finish." Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate: Interim End Of November 2018 (11/30/2018) Rating: 94 Drink: 2021-2039

Château Langoa Barton 2012 -"Plenty of juicy blackcurrant fruit and background oak are present in this plump, medium to full-bodied, ripe, well-made wine. Not nearly as tannic as I feared, this wine shows a forward plumpness, excellent purity, texture and length. Drink it over the next 15-20 years." Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate Issue 218, Rating: 90 Drink: 2015-2035

Les Griffons de Pichon Baron 2016 -"The 2016 Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% Merlot matured in 60% new oak. The harvest was between 26 September and 18 October, and it represents 30% of the total yield. It has a very pure and detailed bouquet with blackberry, briary, cold stone and graphite aromas. This seems to meliorate in glass. The palate is very well balanced with fine tannin, a Griffons that is nimble and agile, the finish very precise with an almost clinical graphite-tinged finish. This is superb." - Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate, Ratings: 93-95, Drink: 2021-2050