Vieux Chateau Certan, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France

Vieux Chateau Certan

Tasting and Visit with Monsieur Alexandre Thienpont

June 2010

Vieux Chateau Certan (VCC)

 

The roof of VCC peaking through the trees from the road.

     Saving the best for last is something I do when it comes to many things, for better or worse that is what happens sometimes. My wife interestingly has the opposite philosophy and that has allowed me to see the other side of that mind set. Her vision has allowed me to see writing my blog differently which has made my writing more efficient, productive and hopefully overall more entertaining and useful to my readers. Though I still write longer blog postings and not as many as my peers in the wine blogosphere in a given year, I put as much of me into my writings as possible. I have fiddled around with video, but to me it's not a medium that captures the wine lover. I get bored of almost all wine related videos rather easily. Many seem scripted and the subject robotic from the get go. The video medium in wine review and blogging has a long way to go to be considered entertaining.

I have arrived in the homeland of Merlot.

     To my point about saving the best for last, the following tasting is the last in the series of Bordeaux Chateau visits I made three years ago back in 2010, but is fresh in my mind as if it happened 3 months ago. Fresh that is except for the tasting notes I took, so apologies for the lack of some specifics. Three years later and a new iPhone lost me all of my tasting notes saved to my Blackberry. Therefore much of this is coming from memory and the impressions made that day. So bear with me as I try to relay the magic, beauty and history that is Vieux Chateau Certan.

     Vieux in French roughly translates to "old", and after reading the VCC chapter in "Pomerol" written by the Wine Advocate critic Neal Martin I completely understand now the meaning of VCC when you add the modern spelling of the property Sertan (Certan) which included the VCC property as well as its neighbor Certan de May.

     Back in 2010 fresh on the heels of a massively successful 2009 en Primeur campaign, I was in Bordeaux tasting wines from many vintages, but most consistently barrel samples from 2009 (not counting the 2007 UGC tasting of that very average vintage). Of all of the barrel samples tasted, Vieux Chateau Certan was one of my favorite of the trip, and my favorite appointment and Chateau experience of the entire trip. 

     I rose early to begin the track south from the outskirts of the Cognac region since we were staying at Chateau Mirambeau. The sun was bright, the air was clean and crisp, and the sun was high in the air by the time I got to Libourne on the edge of Pomerol. I even stopped at the same McDonalds that Wine Advocate writer Neal Martin so often mentions in his writings, but it was closed. So much for breakfast till 10am! I continued on heading east to Pomerol as the car wound through a few roads, cutting through the eastern edges of Libourne until I popped out into the vineyards of Pomerol's western edge. In minutes I was at the intersection of Certan and Certan, the white ornate signs telling me that I had arrived at the old Certan property, many years ago divided into Certan de May and my destination Vieux Chateau Certan.

Almost there, VCC from the road

     Arriving a few minutes early I sat in the waiting area a little nervous. I was on my own and did not know what to expect. This was one of the top Chateau in all of Bordeaux, not just Pomerol. Moments later Alexandre Thienpont exited his office and greeted me warmly.  Quite a tall man, Alexandre immediately puts you at ease when he greets you as his calm demeanor easily puts you at ease.  

Vintages 1996 and 2004

Welcome to the vineyards of VCC

Merlot vine at VCC

       After some small talk, the first thing we did was head straight to the vineyard so Alexandre could show me around the different plots and vineyard borders. Merlot dominates the plantings with Cabernet France the next most planted and a small, but prevalent Cabernet Sauvignon planting on more gravelly soils than the Merlot which is mostly on a combination of clay and gravel. The older vines were from plots that survived a great frost in the 50's with the rest replanted right after the frost and others planted in more recent decades. You can see the tall steeple of the landmark church that constantly towers high in the landscape as it is the tallest structure in miles. In one direction is Chateau Petrus, to which it shares a large portion of a soil phenomenon know as the clay button that makes up the whole of the Petrus vineyard. In another direction a neighbor is La Conseillante, and across the road is Certan de May, which a century and a half ago was part of the original property called Sertan, which roughly translates to "like a desert" (thank you Neal Martin).

Wooden fermentation tanks

     We moved into the chai ( aka the winemaking facility) where I was surprised to find gorgeous, pristine wood fermentation tanks. Most Chateau use concrete or steel these days in Bordeaux for initial fermentation but not at VCC. We then moved to the first barrel room that housed the newest vintage in barrel. It was small, but of course it should be, this is Pomerol where the properties are tiny and production is a fraction of the giant left bank chateau I had visited earlier on this trip. In the second barrel room lay more barrels with the most recent vintage. A barrel stood upright in the middle of the room with a few open bottles of wine to sample. My anticipation was bubbling over at this point as we were on the cusp of trying some magnificent wine.  The last 30-40 minutes learning about VCC and its sacred vineyards only heightened my excitement.

A sight to behold, 2009, 1996 and 2004 to taste.

     Open before me and Alexandre were vintages 1996, 2004 and the 2009 barrel sample. We started with the 1996, then progressed to the young 2004 and then the embryonic 2009.

     The 1996 was outstanding, one of the best wines I tasted the entire trip. I immediately searched to buy this vintage back home but the choices were few and far between. The few bottles I found the retailer told me were from a so-so lot of wines bought off the gray market and many were not drinking well so I decided to pass on buying them. I am still to this day searching it out! The nose, palate and finish were showing a wine that was past its young stage and well into the middle age of its life. Showing obvious hints of maturity, the wine was in great shape showing expressive and haunting notes that pulled the nose closer to the wine. On the palate I recall the finish lasting for quite a while with a silky and velvety finish, a trademark of well made Pomerol.

The Pomerol church steeple, a common sight from a spot of Pomerol

     The 2004 was less impressive, as some of you may know this is not a favorite vintage of mine. The wines in general lack the evenness and depth I prefer, though the tannins and structure were a good medium to full body on this 2004, the fruit trailing into a more medium body, with decent length and plenty of acidity.

     The 2009 was unlike anything I have ever had. It was an utter wall of fruit, tannin and texture. Practically impervious, dark in color, though it was dim in the chai so color was not exactly something I was evaluating. The aromas were pure, complex, and tightly compact. A lot of coaxing and air, about 30 minutes, and the wine started to unfold. I would have loved to have tried it that night or the next day. The palate was full bodied; solid as a rock, the balance was impeccable but this was not going to give it up to me easily.  Spectacular, I can't wait to try this out of bottle some day. 

Beautiful wines, but I preferred the 1996

     We tasted these wines over the course of an hour. We talked through much of it while I also tried to take brief tasting notes on each wine. As I was getting acquainted with the wines I was also getting to know the man behind these wines. We talked about his visits to New York and other parts of the USA, as well as my minimal experience in France so far and the wonderful experiences and people we have encountered thus far on our tour through France. Alexandre is a gentle giant, that tends his vineyard with the care and love that a father has for his children. It shows in the wines and in the meticulous state of the vines that we walked through when we started our walk through the grounds. Since my visit I have purchased almost every vintage from 2008 and on and have my eyes set on a few older vintages when they become available in auctions.

Vieux Chateau Certan is a special wine, made from a special place, and made by a special man.

A biento! 

-Tom

Le Cercle Rive Droite 2012 NYC

Le Cercle Rive Droite

2012 Vintage Bordeaux Barrel Tasting

New York, NY

"From Barrel to Bottle"

     Tasting newly vinified wine from barrel as it is maturing is better understood when tasting multiple samples of similar cepage from the same vintage.  Experience however, is the most valuable asset to understanding a young barrel sample of wine.  I know this may sound obvious, but the second part, as well as good note taking and a good memory, are crucial to understanding how a young wine will be as it matures into wine in bottle.  Experience or not, if you have ever tasted wine from barrel, you may understand that for the majority of us it is a very difficult task to ascertain the quality of the wine at that point.  For a barrel sample if the wine is very fruity, easy to drink and overall evolved at 6-8 months it is easy to say you like it, but that is not necessarily a great sign for a young wine.  At the other spectrum, if a wine is too tannic, too tight, too acidic it is a lot harder to evaluate the other parts of the wine that hint at what greatness may lie ahead in that wines future. 

     Recently I was lucky enough to experience my second Bordeaux vintage from barrel recently at a tasting event in Manhattan hosted by Le Cercle Rive Droite.  Approximately 30 Chateau from the Right Bank of Bordeaux offered up the most recent vintage of their wines as well as their 2009 or 2010 vintage wines from bottle.  Not surprisingly the wines were great in most cases from the heralded 2009 and 2010 vintages, while the barrel samples varied in aromas, textures and flavors quite drastically.  From my novice standing, I sensed the barrel tastings were on point from what I had already read from the professionals that attended en Primeur in Bordeaux two weeks prior, quality is varied across the board.  Granted this tasting had no Medoc or Pessac-Leognan/Graves wines, these right bank wines seemed to fall in line with their typical hierarchy with noticeable variations in quality within each village/region.  Overall there were some standouts from all of the different regions: Fleur Cardinale from Saint-Emilion, Dalem and la Dauphine from Fronsac, Clocher and Vray Croix de Gay from Pomerol, Magrez Fombrauge, Fombrauge, and Le Prieure from Saint-Emilion, Siaurac from Lalande de Pomerol, and La Rose Perriere from Lussac Saint-Emilion.

     Red Bordeaux wine is almost always a blend of the allowed 6 red grapes, with Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot being the anchor varietal of virtually all red wines made in Bordeaux.  In the end, the consensus is 2012 is an average vintage with a few above average villages where Merlot was the main component of the red wines.  The reason that Merlot was the most successful red grape varietal harvested is that Merlot ripens earlier that its cousin Cabernet Sauvignon.    This allowed Merlot to be picked at better ripeness before a very large tropical storm hit in early to mid October.   Many Cabernet Sauvignon were still on vine in the storm and thus had to stay on vine to dry out and finish ripening.  In many vineyards neither of those two things happened to the extent desired if at all.  It was harder to notice this about the Cabernet Sauvignon at this tasting as the Chateau that are members of Le Cercle Rive Droite are all from the right bank where Merlot is the dominant grape varietal and for the most part were picked before the storm.

Standout wines from 2012, 2009, and 2010:

Fleur Cardinale, Saint-Emilion

70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

2012: The nose is rather pure in that it is balanced with fruit, minerality and a touch of oak.  Ripe red fruits, but not over the top, pure medium to full body palate, with silky tannins, decent acids and a long fruit filled finish.  I would expect this to be very much on par with the last few vintages, if barely a step behind if this evolves as it should in bottle

2009:  Awesome, outstanding, balanced through and through.  The nose wafts cherry and currants with a touch of tar and flowers.  The attack starts with ripe black cherries, currants, and builds depth and complexity as it fans out over the palate into a long, silky finish.  Not nearly ready to go, but quite enjoyable now.

Dominique Decoster of Grand Cru Classe Chateau Fleur Cardinale 

Magrez Fombrauge,  Saint-Emilion

80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc

Magrez Fombrauge is made exclusively from an old parcel of vines at Chateau Fombrauge that average 70 years old and is only 1.5 hectares (3.7 acres).  Alix Combes, the Vineyard Manager at Chateau Fombrauge and I spoke a lot and we talked about the vineyards terroir and how this little patch of vines has the right combination of soil and age to produce a special and limited bottling.  The character was similar in the regular Fombrauge bottling but it lacked the same intensity, nerve and complexity of the Magrez bottling.  I learned a lot about this vineyard and of the 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 vintages from Alix.  Beyond the obvious with those vintages, 2011 is being compared to 2012 a lot and is too much of a generalization.   In 2011 Alix think the wines are more like 2004 2012 is more like 2006, which to me puts 2012 in front of 2011 for this property..

2012:  I liked this one, it was easy to taste as it was quite an evolved barrel sample, which is very much different than 2010 from talking to Alix.  Is that a good thing, I am not sure (see above in paragraph 1 about experience).  The palate is full bodied, ripe, with black cherry, creme d'cassis, licorice and well integrated oak.

2010: The limestone terroir really comes through in this wine as the structure really shows in this wine as it is very muscular in ripe tannins and full bodied in texture.  This is a nicely balanced wine, big, but fresh with black cherry and licorice abound.  A long, structured finish closes things out.

Alix Combes, vineyard manager at Fombrauge

The deliciously and structured 2010 Magrez Fombrauge 

Dalem, Fronsac
90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc

Owner and winemaker Bigitte Rullier poured the wines herself at this event and it was a pleasure to speak with her about these wines and the terroir they come from.  The vines average 45 years of age and lie in a soil mix of limestone and clay, with a larger more prominent limestone plateau beneath this mixture.  The wines are initially vinified in cement tank for 3-4 weeks to allow good extraction of tannins and color.  Then the wine is aged 18 months in 40% new oak where malolactic fermentation takes place right after it is moved to barrel.  An autonomous water treatment plant was installed on site recently to help reduce waste and recycle water used on the property.

2012:  Wonderful nose compared to other samples, clean and pure, balance, I'd even say developed for the age as it was one of the earlier samples of the evening that I was able to draw distinct flavors from: cherry, sweet tobacco, currants,  14% abv.

2010: Elegant but deep, good grip and texture as the tannins are medium to full, but ripe.  In what seems a coiled personality of ripe and sappy red fruits, the tight but supple tannins frame an elegant but persistent finish.

Chateau Dalem proprietor Bigitte Rullier

The 2010 Chateau Dalem is a great value wine  rare these days from Bordeaux

Fombrauge,  Saint-Emilion

90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon

2012:  Also felt well developed like its sibling the Magrez Fombrauge.  Purple and black fruits; fine and silky tannins, limestone and clay sub soils combine as the makeup of one of the largest vineyards in all of Saint-Emilion at 60 hectares or 148 acres!

Le Prieure,  Saint-Emilion

80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc

2012: A nicely balanced 2012 that seemed slightly advanced as the sample was showing classic aroma and flavor notes with good  complexity and structure.  Mineral, plum, and kirsch mix with good spice and fresh tannins.

2010: A solid 2010 with excellent terroir showcasing minerality and classic structure.  Cassis, plum, mocha, and licorice.  Good tannic cut and excellent length in the finish.

Rol Valentin, Saint-Emilion

90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc

2012: Bright red fruits, coffee bean notes, and sweet oak, medium finish.  This one seemed a little less generous, but showed fruit and tannin in ample amounts.

2009: Huge presence, licorice, blackberry, tar, and leather are tightly wound .  A long and persistent finish, classic as it has elegance with balanced and purity.

du Pressac, Saint-Emilion

72% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest 1% Malbec and 2% Carmenere

A new wine for me as I have never tasted this Chateau.  A very distinct style not like many of the other wines tasted this evening.  I was curious what that was and then looked at the grapes used in the tasting guide and knew right away then it was the Malbec and the Carmenere adding lift and floral notes.

2012: Violets, herbs, pepper, black and blueberries with a medium finish and good structure that finishes with medium grain tannins.

2010: More classic in style with a medium body, great acidity, earth and minerality that combine with brighter red fruits in a nice, clean finish. 

Clocher, Pomerol

70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc

2012: The best Pomerol sample from 2012 at this event.  The ripest, most evident of tannins yet still silky and a touch elegant because of the pure and bright red fruits. 

2010: Lovely, elegant, sensual, round and well made.  The Cabernet Franc really shows in this vintage as it obviously stands out from the Merlot adding extra structure and complexity down to the core of this wine.

Solid Pomerol - the classic 2010 Clos du Clocher from Pomerol

Montviel, Pomerol
80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc

Another favorite of the night for me, the 2009 Montviel was poured by the charming Emilie Dombey.  A great representative of a strong and successful Pomerol based wine company.  Headed by the venerable Catherine Pere-Verge who recently passed away, the estates holdings including Montviel, Le Gay and La Violette are still in family hands to continue her legendary legacy.  The Pere-Verge family also has a successful line of wines from Argentina under the Monteviejo label.

2009:  Sensual red raspberry, cherry, tobacco leaf, spice and cedar with wonderful ripe tannins, a long and persistently silk like finish.  This was one of my favorite wines of the night.  It showed the best of 2009 and what this property does in a great vintage.

Emelie Dombey, the charming representative from Vignobles Pere Verge and Bodega Monteviejo 

The great Montviel 2009, showing the wonderful aspects of the 2009 vintage.

Dauphine, Fronsac

90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc

2012: Raspberry notes, with mocha, creme d'cassis, black cherry and licorice; medium to full tannins; another sample that seems to be  developing already.

2010: Medium to full bodied, blueberry, jazzy blackberry, a touch of toasty oak and smokiness, lively, but elegant tannins, a baby Margaux wine meets a baby Troplong Mondot.

Fontenil, Fronsac

90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc

Michel Rolland's home winery.

2012:  A ripe nose, friendly and opulent with a fleshy palate; the aromas are smoky with oak and berry notes.

2009: Green pepper, black currants, tea notes with dill herbs; a long full bodied presence, medium finish.  I expected a larger, riper wine with less green notes, especially from Rolland and in 2009.

Siaurac, Lalande de Pomerol

74% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec

2012:  Violet, purple notes, black berry, earth and savory.  I really liked this one a lot because of the different aroma and palate presence.  The violet was really easy to pick out and the Malbec component is a dead giveaway for where it comes from. 

2010:  Juicy blackberry and cherry, medium grain tannins though a touch of heat.

La Rose Perriere, Lussac Saint-Emilion

90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc

The lone Lussac Saint-Emilion that I had like enough to write about. 14 hectares, 20k bottles (about 1,700 cases).

2012: Fresh, with good acidity, a well made wine, floral, mineral, with cherry, fine oak, a persistent, but elegant finish.

2009: Elegant for 2009 but by no means light, licorice, blackberry, and cherry; medium to full bodied tannins.



A bientot!

-Tom

Spottswoode

Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery Visit 

plus the 30/40th Anniversary Tasting 

St. Helena, Napa Valley & New York City

Welcome to the beautiful Spottswoode Estate

     Spottswoode Estate not only produces some of my favorite wines, the Estate is probably my favorite site for a winery and vineyard. I always joke around with Lisa that one day I would like to buy it. Rather, more realistically of course, it would be a significant source of inspiration if a home in a wine region becomes a possibility. Another reality is that what the Novak family has built is so special, it literally is priceless. Until either of those days arrives, we'll have to settle on our winery visits and wonderful bottles of Spottswoode wines.

     The wines of Spottswoode are eternally classic and some of the most original in the wine world. One of my personal favorites, the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, has been compared to some of the great Chateau in Margaux. However to this wine geek the Spottswoode Estate exceeds any comparison because of the unique virtues the Novak family and the Estate's history express in their wines. Passion, heritage, sustainability, terroir, consistency, elegance and balance are all words that come to mind when I think of Spottswoode.

One of the first views off the Spottswoode property as you enter through the gates

     Last year Lisa and I visited Spottswoode for the second time. Each visit has been different and special as the property gets situated to expanding its hosting capabilities. I had been purchasing Spottswoode on and off since the 2002 vintage, but our first visit was not until 2007. On that first visit we were able to try the inaugural 2005 vintage of the Lyndenhurst Cabernet Sauvignon poured in the old Kraft Winery stone barn that is one of the original "ghost wineries" of Napa Valley. The stone barn then and now is used to store the barrels aging the Spottswoode wines. On both tours we walked through the wine making facility, checking out the fermentation tanks, including the concrete eggs that ferment a percentage of their exceptional Sauvignon Blanc. Later we moved on to the vineyard and home across the street on the main Spottswoode property. As we stepped through the Spottswoode gate to the Estate home the first time the experience was remarkable, almost like stepping through time and space to days gone by. I could feel the heritage settle upon me just walking through the gates as my eyes took in the view of the towering trees, a remarkably manicured landscape and a gorgeously classic Victorian style home. I found it hard not to instantly fall in love with this special place.

Egg fermenters!

Concrete fermentation tanks

Steel fermentation tanks

A ghost winery, the Kraft stone barn

Inside the Kraft stone barn where the barrels rest

     On our first visit we tasted the 2004 Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon in the gardens and poolside where the Novak's two friendly black Labrador Retrievers Riley and Murphy greeted us and were looking for some pet attention that we were glad to provide. On our second visit last year in 2012 we learned sadly that Murphy had passed on and Riley was the sole pup holding down the fort. On our last tour we tasted all of the wines in a tasting room in the home on the old Kraft property adjacent to the stone barn. The Kraft home is also Victorian and was refurbished to house the Spottswoode business offices, entertainment facility and now where the tastings take place.

The front porch

     Some light reading on the Spottswoode website and their great mailers provided me with a boatload of facts I pieced together for you in the following brief history of the Spottswoode Estate. The story of Spottswoode starts back in 1882 when the property was founded by George Schonewald originally naming it "Esmerelda" which was Spanish for Emerald. Not long after in 1884 Schonewald sold a plot to Frank Kraft who then started the Kraft Winery and erected the house the Spottswoode businesses currently reside and the majestic stone barn that is now where barrel aging takes place. The Novak family acquired the Kraft property in 1989 effectively re-uniting the original property. For a brief time the property changes hands twice, changing names from Esmerelda, briefly to Lyndenhurst and then to Spottswoode in 1901 by the new owner Mrs. Albert Spotts where it would remain in that family until the Novak family acquired the property in 1972. Over the next 10 years through learning, experimentation, and a lot of hard work the Novak family produced its first Cabernet Sauvignon with the 1982 vintage. As the years went by Spottswoode was led by some great winemakers. Starting with the great Tony Soter in 1982, tenures followed that included Pam Starr, Rosemary Cakebread and Jennifer Williams. In 1985, many, many years ahead of its time, Tony Soter implemented organic farming principles at Spottswoode that to this day have grown into modern organic and sustainable farming practices.

What a back yard!  The Spottswoode Vineyard

The archway over the gates leading into the Spottswoode property

     On our second visit all of the wine tasting was in an ornate dining room with a plethora of glasses and Spottswoode folks there to guide us through each wine of the current releases. I like this tasting format as it allows the taster to take notes and at the same time discuss the wines with the tasting participants and the winery team. The current winemaker Aron Weinkauf dropped in for a few minutes and we chatted for a while on the new Syrah fruit source for the Field Book wine, the recent vintages of the Estate Cabernet and the current one unfolding. 2012 will be a special vintage in Napa, possibly the best ever so stay tuned on how the 2012 wines develop. Here are our tasting notes from the most recent visit to Spottswoode in May of 2012.

2011 Sauvignon Blanc (Tasted May 2012) 
Composed of 65% Sauvignon Blanc and 35% Sauvignon Musque. 
Lemon, fresh cut grass and gooseberry aromas and flavors, with some fresh herb notes, and mineral notes with tight and clean acidity. There must be less new oak on this wine, in fact the oak is barely noticeable. Some steel, concrete egg and oak barrels are used to ferment this wine. The source of the fruit is 54% Napa Valley and 46% Sonoma Mountain.

The concrete eggs ferment and stir the wine on its lees inside the egg, as that is the idea of the shape. Natural fermentation is quite active with the fermenting juice jostling inside the fermenting device. In the concrete egg, the wine actually moves in a cycle inside the rounded egg shape, sort of like battonage in a barrel. But in this case there is no assistance needed by manually stirring the wine. The rounded shape of the egg moves the fermenting juice around the egg without any battonage, its self-propelled. In 2011 a technique used primarily in Beaujolais was utilized in this vintage of the initial fermentation of the Sauvignon for this vintage. That technique being "Carbonic Maceration" tends to brighten the fruit and freshen the wine to the benefit of the drinker with an earlier drinking window. Fun fact: carbonic maceration is a type of whole cluster fermentation inside the grape berry in a carbon dioxide environment within a sealed container. 

2009 Lyndenhurst Cabernet Sauvignon
Composed of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc 
Aromas and flavors of pencil lead, currants, cherry, vanilla and a dollop of sweet oak rise from the glass and spread across the palate. The palate is plush and generous, with sweet and fine tannins. This is a much earlier drinking wine and seems almost like it is made in a different style compared to the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit for this wine is all Spottswoode Estate fruit. I love this fact about this second wine as it's rare to have this situation and I think the wine keeps getting better with each new vintage. I have to assume the fruit is from the younger juvenile vines and those parcels not producing complex enough fruit for the Estate wine. The wine is utterly delicious and flattering, more for immediate enjoyment as opposed to the complex and cerebral Estate wine. Aged for 20 months in French oak barrels, 50% are new barrels.

2009 Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 
95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot 
The 2009 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon was drinking well, but seemed like it might have been going through a bit of bottle shock or starting to close down. The wine was great, but I felt like the layers or bands of flavor and composition of the wine felt more deliberate, like they had not fully integrated yet. Each layer was great, but this was just what can happen when you taste young wines, sometime they are shy and not showing their best. A few months later I would taste the 2009 again and would find out the wine had just not integrated fully yet as the wine was tasting like a superb young wine should.

The wine was not super showy this time around, so my notes are a little light, but we had currants and licorice, herbs and pain grille, with great aromatics for such a young wine. The tannins were perceptively fine, but don't be fooled the fruit was masking most of those young tannin. Ample acidity finished off this wine nicely. The one thing I thought was different was the color. The color grading of the wine seemed like it was maybe 5-10 years old as it had lighter red edges and a claret like rouge at the core.

- 30/40th Anniversary Tasting -

In mid-September 2012, the Spottswoode team marked the 30 year anniversary of making their own wine and 40 years of the Novak family living at the gorgeous Spottswoode estate on Madrona Avenue in St. Helena. A few older vintages of the Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon were poured, as well as the current vintage releases of the entire portfolio. The whole family was there greeting and talking to their customers in a casual, walk around setting.

I highly recommend these wines if you are a fan of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon as this wine is a benchmark for Napa. When I think of the top wines and wineries in Napa Spottswoode is always near the top for me. As you can tell Spottswoode is a personal favorite and I collect their wines in most years. The wines are for the most part available in the retail market, but they go fast so either sign up and get on their mailing list or if you see it at your local wine shop snap up a bottle. The estate Cabernet is an expensive wine, but one of the best money can buy. I would even venture to say it is a value when you compare it to the $300+ Napa Valley cult wines that will remain nameless in this particular article.Here are the wines and the tasting notes from the anniversary tasting last September 2012 in New York. 

2011 Spottswoode Sauvignon Blanc 
The sauvignon blanc has really come together nicely since I had it last. There is more stone fruit, the texture has gained a little weight, but the length seems to have extended. The aromatics are similar, but with a touch more citrus and peach over the grassy notes. If you like Sauvignon Blanc this is always one to check out.

2010 Field Book Rhone 
100% Syrah, Griffin's Lair Vineyard, Sonoma Coast 
A few years ago I became disenchanted with California Syrah, I felt I was not discovering anything new after a while. The last few years however I have had some of the best ever from California and see things getting better as the grape that was once heralded "the next Merlot" is understood more and planted in better vineyard sites for optimal fruit and terroir expression.

2010 is the first vintage the Field Book was made from the Griffin's Lair vineyard in the Petaluma Gap. Some of my favorite Syrah has come from this vineyard so was I was intrigued to say the least.  The color was dark, almost opaque but still maintaining a solid red appearance. Twirling the wine in my glass, appealing and typical Syrah notes of cracked pepper, meat, spice and earth rose from the glass. The palate also brought blueberries, licorice, more peppercorns, and roasted coffee beans. I was very impressed and would recommend this Syrah to any fan of Rhone wines.

2010 Lyndenhurst Cabernet Sauvignon 
97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1.5% Cabernet Franc, 1.5% Petit Verdot
The Lyndernhurst Cabernet Sauvignon draws its name from one of the earlier names of the property before it was owned by the Spotts family in the early 20th century. The wine is alluring, sensual and immediately appealing from the generous fruit and more than ample, but silky structure. The fruit for the Lyndenhurst wine comes from the same vineyard as the Estate Spottswoode, but is likely the younger vines or those parcels of the vineyard that do not fit into the vision the winemaker has for the Estate wine. Only 40% of the oak used to age this wine in barrel is new, the rest are neutral oak.

The bouquet of the Lyndenhurst 2010 is full of black cherry, creme d'cassis, pencil shavings, and currants. This has a lot of fruit going on! The palate adds blueberries and some loam to go with the fine to medium tannins. This has a great finish, silky, fruit driven and long.

1994 Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (from Imperial 6.0L) 
To me tasting older vintages of fine wine is a real treat, one that many people do not get to experience or sometimes understand. I love all kinds of wine, but like anyone else I don't want all wines at all times to drink. I also understand that because I do not want it, it does not mean I do not like it. Some folks I overheard at this tasting event definitely did not subscribe to this based on their comments....whatever!

This was a fine wine and from what I could tell just past its apex, but still very enjoyable. The color was not bricking yet but was a light red at the edges. Aromas of tobacco, bay leaf, muddled and dried red fruits and herbs were observable. The palate was more dusty in texture with a medium to fine body. The finish was clean and fresh, with lean to lighter red fruits streaking the palate.

2004 Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 
97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc 
The 2004 seemed to be in a great drinking window, the wine showed all of the great traits of a young Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Showing the best of the evening, the 2004 Estate was a real treat and very accessible. Aged in French Oak barrels, 70% were new barrels. This wine had a luxurious nose, with great fruit expression and a wonderful vibrant, appealing and long finish.

The color of the 2004 Estate was a nice garnet core with red edges. The nose was giving off licorice, black cherry, cinnamon spice, and mint. The flavors fanned out over the palate with good oak integration. The tannins were a silky fine to medium grain. The 2004 Estate is a nice and complete wine and is drinking very well at this time, solid.

2009 Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 
95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot 
The youngster of the Estate Cabernet Sauvignons being poured this evening was a familiar friend as this was my second tasting of this wine in 4 months (see above note). Tightly wound (as it should be), this was in a better place than when I had it a few months ago. The wine had come together nicely, it was super tight and rock solid to the core.

The core color was a deep red with vibrant, youthful red edges. Aromas and flavors of cherry, bakers chocolate, licorice, graphite, with cedar with spice notes. The palate was very concentrated with a persistent attack of fruit, a great mid-palate, and followed by medium grain, but ripe tannin. Aged in 100% French Oak, the 69% new oak is integrated perfectly into this wine. A long, fruit driven finish is fresh and immediately pulls you back for more. I will enjoy seeing how this wine develops over the years.

A bientot!

- Tom

A bientot!

Merlot's Homeland 

Bordeaux's "Right Bank" 

Day 1 

Touring Pomerol and Saint Emilion

Photo op at the minimalist Chateau Petrus

     A few years ago Lisa and I took a vacation to France for a few weeks. One of the best vacations we had on multiple levels, we based our stays outside of Paris near the wine regions of Provence and Bordeaux. Having heard horror stories about visiting Chateau in Bordeaux, I started my reservation requests 6 months in advance of our arrival. It was not easy for the Left Bank, but almost every Chateau welcomed us that I looked into.  Those Chateau that could not accommodate us were quite gracious in letting us know they were full or under construction.  We added a few more Chateau visits from the Weekend de Amateurs (now known as "Week-End Des Grands Crus") that took place during our stay in Bordeaux.  

     The Right Bank Chateau were a little easier to make appointments with and more than hospitable than some of their Left Bank counterparts, mostly because they have put in place consumer hospitality services.   Many Left Bank Chateau have put a lot of their resources and energy into hosting wine industry guests, and less so for consumers.  A few of my appointments came out of connections I made with the Chateau from attending tastings events where I try to have meaningful conversations, take business cards and follow up on the conversation with a friendly email.  A few Chateau went above and beyond and I still catch up with a few of the proprietors when they come to Manhattan for the annual UGC tastings.  Many of these Chateau visits have directed my wine purchases over the following years, especially from the outstanding 2009 vintage that was in barrel when we were in Bordeaux and the 2010 vintage that was still on the vine while we were there.   At most Chateau we were able to taste the glorious youthful barrel samples from 2009, those were once in a lifetime tastings we will not soon forget.  

     After that brief refresher, I wanted to get to the point of this posting, and write about the wonderful time we had while touring the Bordeaux Right Bank villages of Pomerol and Saint-Emilion. In case you are not a wine geek, wines from the Right Bank are primarily made from the Merlot grape, with Cabernet Franc being the grape most often paired with the Merlot from these two villages. Cabernet Sauvignon is in the mix, but appears much less frequently and usually in minute percentages.  If Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of red grapes, Merlot is the prince, and Pinot Noir the Queen.

     Day 1 on the Right Bank took us through the villages of Saint-Emilion and Pomerol on an cloudy and overcast day, visiting 3 Chateau with a larger group as a part of the Weekend des Grand Amateurs. Never a fan of tours of this size, the tours were well executed, if a little less than personal. We were surrounded by picture happy tourists that I think had no idea they were at hallowed ground for wine production, but we paid them no mind and the proprietors welcomed us and our geeky wine questions with a warm welcome.

Up one of the limestone hills lies the Troplong Mondot wine-making facilities

     Our first stop was at Chateau Troplong Mondot in Saint-Emilion which is ranked a Premier Grand Cru Classe "B" in the Saint-Emilion wine classification. Margaux, the daughter of the proprietor who purchased the property a few years ago, graciously welcomed us and took us through a tour of the limestone vineyards, the vilification equipment, the barrel room and then the tasting salon and back vintage library to sample the 2007 vintage being poured that day. At one point we made our way to the actual Chateau which is down the hill from the wine making facilities and overlooks more vineyards with a direct view of the church tower that landmarks the landscape as the village center.  Recently it was opened up to guests to stay overnight in a few of the charming bedrooms serving as guestrooms.  Not long after our trip to France in early 2010 I tasted the 2008 in Manhattan at the annual UGC tasting and was very impressed.  Since these experiences I have purchased Troplong Mondot from that 2008 vintage, even acquiring some older vintages like the 1998.

     The second stop was at Grand Cru Classe Chateau Larmande for lunch. We had a less than memorable box lunch with magnums of the Chateau Cadet Piola, which was the perfect lunch wine as it was easy drinking and nothing too complex to think about. Our guide and the friendly hosts at Larmande were very nice and hospitable. They showed us around the property, passing by many fermentation tanks, the barrel aging room and later into the tasting room to sample the 2004 wines from Chateau Larmande and Chateau Soutard.  Drinking well now, both wines are affordable as far as Bordeaux is concerned, especially from a less than stellar vintage like 2004. We were saddened to hear they lost a substantial portion of their crop due to a hail storm in 2009 as that is currently being touted as the greatest modern Bordeaux vintage to date.  That has to be a huge loss to a Chateau to not make close to their usual production in a banner vintage like 2009.

More minimalist design at Chateau Clinet

     Our last stop took us to one of my favorite producers in all of Bordeaux, not just from the right bank or from the tiny village of Pomerol.  In Pomerol there is no classification system, the wines sell based on their reputation and scores from wine critics.  We were greeted by the friendly and very personable Ronan Laborde of Chateau Clinet and were shown the vineyards that produce the wines of Chateau Clinet.  Next we made our way to the crush pad and then on to the tiny barrel room where barrels were stacked 3 high. Clinet has been on a huge roll of late, making highly sought after wines in almost every vintage since 2008. The Chateau is tiny when compared to the grand monastery-like chateau in the left bank. However, what it lacks in size it makes up for in spades with adept consumer appreciation, and of course with outstanding wines.  Clinet makes a genuine effort to connect with the consumer so the memory of their interactions with Clinet resonates in the future when making purchasing decisions. The most gracious of hosts, Ronan was pouring the 2001, 2004, 2005 and the 2006 Chateau Clinet on this visit. This was by far my favorite visit, with the 2005 Clinet as the absolute best wine that afternoon. The 2001 was not too far behind the 2005, and worth a look to find if you can as it is a beautiful wine from a good vintage. 2006 was pretty tight and young still, and the 2007 showed the elegant characteristic of that vintage in Bordeaux. I personally sought out the 2005 and am constantly on the lookout for more.  Every year Ronan is at the UGC tastings held here in the States so if you attend the next one stop by and say hello as you'll make a great friend from Bordeaux and taste one of the best wines not only from the tiny village of Pomerol, but all of Bordeaux.  Below is a link to a few videos from our trip to Clinet.

     We made our way back to the bus for our return trip to Bordeaux to rest up and get ready for our dinner that evening at Chateau Pichon Baron Longueville later that evening in the famed village of Pauillac.

Cheers,

Tom

Mondot vineyards and further on towards the village is Chateau
Pavie-Macquin

The church tower at the center of the St. Emilion village

Look at that beautiful limestone in the soils, great terroir!

The Mondot barrel room

One of the corner towers at Chateau Troplong Mondot

The barrel room at Larmande

Chateau Clinet vineyards

Chateau Clinet vineyards

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The outstanding 2005

Clinet's second wine

St. Peter at Petrus (notice the similarity in the name?), the clay cap that the vineyard lies on was originally named by the Romans