Now here is a wine that we have been enjoying at home when we can find it and recently we stumbled onto a small stash share with you: 2002 Haut-Medoc Cru Bourgeois, Château de Villegeorge, winner of a gold metal in 2005 at the Concours de Bordeaux et Vins d'Aquitaine. A part of the large holdings of Lucien Lurton, known for his passion for Medoc, until his death, the Château is now owned and managed by his daughter, Marie-Laure Lurton. She is one of a growing number of women-oenologists who own or operate domains producing great wine.
Ms. Lurton inherited Château de Villegeorge in 1992 and has made significant improvements in the wine as well as the property. In recognition of these changes, in 2003 the wine was elevated from Cru Bourgeois to Cru Bourgeois Supérieur. Buyers of earlier vintages than 2003 should note that this reclassification is not made on the merits of one millesime, but following many years production of high quality wine.
Several posts earlier, we wrote briefly about the various Bordeaux classifications. Most of us are familiar with the Medoc Grand Cru Classée - 1st, 2nd, etc. - established in 1855; however, the majority of red wine from the Bordeaux region is sold as "Bordeaux" meaning it is wine made in the region, full stop. It is not necessarily Medoc, Pauillac, Margaux, Saint Emilion or another appellation we know, it is simply fermented juice squeezed from grapes grown in greater Bordeaux. It spends little if any time in barrels and is sent rapidly to the market. We can buy 2008 Bordeaux now in French groceries. It is wine-pedophilia!!
There is a small hierarchy of classifications in Medoc under the level of Grand Cru. Important to remember by those of us who appreciate old wines, until 2003 Medoc only had the Grand Crus and, unofficially, Cru Bourgeois. Everything else was just "Medoc." In 2003, it was decided that, officially, Medoc wines could be further divided. This ruling established Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel with 9 wines awarded this classification; Cru Bourgeois Supérieur with 87 wines; and Cru Bourgeois containing 151 wines - for a total of less than 250 wines.
Receiving classification at one of these levels requires not only years of producing excellent wines but also maintaining production values at a significantly high level - including everything from maintenance of the vines, harvest of the grapes, length of fermentation and barrel size to types of bottles and corks. It is a significant effort and investment.
So what is interesting here, concerning our Haut-Medoc, is this bottle dates from the year prior to the reclassification and we can assume that the quality of this millesime is equal to that of the Supérieur. Additionally, the Concours in France are generally held for wines that have just been released; from this we can assume that our Haut-Medoc has spent more than a year in the barrel and was probably released in 2004.
Upon our last tasting, we noted the following: in the glass, immediately, it is the color that is so striking - a beautiful deep, dark black-purple. The nose is relatively uncomplicated carrying hints of fruit but in the mouth light tannins support a layered flow of the fruit, we imagine primarily from the Merlot, followed by the more typical tastes associated with the Cabernet Sauvignon - ripe cherries, toasted spices and tobacco. The finish is pleasant and lingers slightly. The bottle is really at its apogee.
Depending on the year and how the grapes mature, Villegeorge can include as much as 60% Merlot giving it the beautiful fresh fruit. The remainder of the wine is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and, again depending upon the year, a small amount of Cabernet Franc, the grape most often found in Loire valley wines like Saumur. 2002 was a difficult year for vintners in Bordeaux. Spring was cold until late May, August was awful with too much rain and all was saved only by a warm September that lasted until an Indian Summer during October. The majority of the Medocs from this year are lacking the tannic structure necessary to support a long maturity and now seems to be the time to drink them to appreciate their full potential.
We said it recently and we'll say it again, "2002 is the new 2000," buy it (and we know from where, right?) and drink it!!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Chablis Dinner
The other evening we invited a few friends over for dinner. One of whom, like us, appreciates old Burgundies, so we decided to subject all of them to a flight of Chablis of various ages. Specifically, Chablis 1er Cru, Fourchaume. Fourchaume is a one of the 1er Cru parcelles in the appellation of Chablis located north of the river Serein, rive droite, but this broad-brush description does not give credit to the significance of terroir, or the ground in which the vines grow. We opened a 2004 from Domaine Châtelain, a 1999 from Boudin, a 1998 from William Fevre, all 1er Cru Fourchaume; and finished with a 1991 Grand Cru Les Preuses from La Chablisienne.
Our first experience with terroir took place in Bordeaux, also on the rive droite but of the Gironde, while standing at the edge of a field at a T-shaped intersection of what can best be described as tractor tracks. When we asked the wine maker why they divided the field as they had, he explained that to the left of the tractor track was Pomerol, to the right Lalande-de-Pomerol and behind us Saint-Emilion. With further examination, we could see differences in the soil of each field – more or less gravel, more clay – that created the distinction that led to the division by appellation.
However it is in Bourgogne that we are much more struck by the importance of terroir. Here, unlike in Bordeaux, the wine is made from the juice extracted from one grape – pinot noir for red and chardonnay for white – rather than the traditional blend of several grapes in Bordeaux. In Chablis, we find four appellations – Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premiere Cru, and Chablis Grand Cru – all white wines that exhibit obvious similarities but incredible differences.
Chablis is know for the Kimmeridge clay formed during the Cretaceous period and made up of limestone, clay and even fossilized oyster shells that date back to a time when this area of France was covered by sea water. It is the same Kimmeridge clay that forms the White Cliffs of Dover. So this limestone clay and the fact that Chablis is located at the northern extremes of sustainable viticulture give the sharp acidity and minerality that we associate with this wine. Closer examination of the region shows three subtle differences in the soil.
South of the river, rive gauche, the soil is typically Kimmeridgian with it usual mix of limestone gravel and light clay. North of the river, rive doite, the soil is similar but extremely dry, even arid. At the northern end of the Serein Valley in which Chablis lies, on either side of the river, the limestone clay has been enriched over time by a great deal of decomposed plant matter perhaps deposited there by the flow of the river and this is here that the parcelle Fourchaume is located.
We had often heard of these distinctions but had never experienced the difference created by these deposits. Fourchaume is clearly a Chablis. In the glass, the color is a light yellow with pale green reflections when it is young, tending toward golden with age. The nose offers light minerality that lessens with age and the odour of white flowers that seems to melt into honeyed tones with maturity.
Not being completely sure what we would find upon uncorking our bottles, we chose our menu with trepidation, trying to avoid sharp flavors, vinegar and other tastes that could impact the flavor of the wine. We also decided to be traditional in the manner we opened the bottles – youngest to oldest. So we began with the 2004 from Domaine Châtelain. This is a small and relatively young domain, as are most in Chablis. The end of the 19th century heralded a difficult period for the region – mold, phylloxera, two world wars – and despite a 1938 ruling that established the Appellation d’origine controlée, by 1950 less than half the vineyards in Chablis were cultivated.
We opened the 2004 with a composed salad of peas and radish dressed with a lemon cumin dressing, and its relative youth stood up to the spice. The color was pale yellow, and the nose was lightly flowery with hints of minerality. In the mouth, the wine was fresh and fruity. There was light acid that the fruit supported with a slight sweetness. All in all, a pleasant wine to open with friends or a cumin dressing.
Next up was the 1999 from Boudin. More completely known as Boudin Père et Fils Domaine de Chantemerle, this domain is also a family business producing Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume, and 1er Cru Homme Mort. We had decided to serve it with salmon in a dill cream. Pulling the cork on this bottle, the scent was slightly sweet. Not a great sign. In the glass, the color was a deep yellow and the nose while slightly flowery still carried that sweetness. In the mouth, the wine seemed past its prime, unfortunately, and several guests did not finish their glasses. We found it drinkable but not extraordinary.
As a ‘pre-post-script’ (does that make sense?), we had pulled two bottles of this wine from the cave but opened only one. The next afternoon, two other friends stopped by and we opened the second bottle for an aperitif. Wow, what a difference. Never judge a book by its cover, and never judge an older wine by one bottle. Although they were all bought from one owner, the first bottle was ‘off.’ The second was lovely – the color was still a golden yellow, but the nose was full of white flowers melting into honeyed ripeness. In the mouth one could understand why this was a Premier Cru; all the acid and harsh minerality was gone replaced by a structured wash of flavors including fruit, honey, even toast, all supported with a light tannin probably a result of the new oak barrels in which many 1er Cru Chablis spend some time. This was the winner and a great keeper!
To continue the dinner, we decided to tempt tradition by pouring the 1998 from William Fevre with the cheese course. For this exercise, we had chosen cheeses typically from Bourgogne – Epoisses, brillat savarin, and several goat cheeses. Fevre was a respected producer that fell on difficult times in the late 1990’s. Henriot, the family known for the Champagne but no longer the owners, bought the domain in the early 2000’s and have dedicated resources to restoring its reputation.
This bottle stood up to the cheese handily, but brought us little more. Yes, it was obviously a 1er Cru Fourchaume, but we would not rush out for more. Several months prior we had drunk a 2003 Grand Cru from Fevre. Likewise, well made and potentially too young, we did not think that that bottle lived up to its potential either. We’ve decided to give the new owners more time to improve their production before passing final judgment.
For the final, we chose a much older bottle, and a Grand Cru. Knowing that with age, a good bottle will loose more and more acidity and express more sweetness, and a Grand Cru should age longer than a 1er Cru, we chose this one for the dessert course. Unfortunately, the dessert we made was less than stellar which, naturally, reflected badly on the wine. But the wine had beautiful color, a deep golden yellow; the nose was complex and expressed even the beloved mustiness of older Burgundy reds; in the mouth, it was full and round with a lingering flavor of honey and toasted nuts. It was successful but special, not everyone loves old white wines, even if we do! The producer, La Chablisienne, is an old and established cooperative in Chablis, buying grapes from 300 growers, and it has produced excellent wines since 1923.
The real winner here was the 1999 from Boudin. Remembering that Fourchaumes will be rounder and more flowery, buy it, drink it, enjoy!
Our first experience with terroir took place in Bordeaux, also on the rive droite but of the Gironde, while standing at the edge of a field at a T-shaped intersection of what can best be described as tractor tracks. When we asked the wine maker why they divided the field as they had, he explained that to the left of the tractor track was Pomerol, to the right Lalande-de-Pomerol and behind us Saint-Emilion. With further examination, we could see differences in the soil of each field – more or less gravel, more clay – that created the distinction that led to the division by appellation.
However it is in Bourgogne that we are much more struck by the importance of terroir. Here, unlike in Bordeaux, the wine is made from the juice extracted from one grape – pinot noir for red and chardonnay for white – rather than the traditional blend of several grapes in Bordeaux. In Chablis, we find four appellations – Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premiere Cru, and Chablis Grand Cru – all white wines that exhibit obvious similarities but incredible differences.
Chablis is know for the Kimmeridge clay formed during the Cretaceous period and made up of limestone, clay and even fossilized oyster shells that date back to a time when this area of France was covered by sea water. It is the same Kimmeridge clay that forms the White Cliffs of Dover. So this limestone clay and the fact that Chablis is located at the northern extremes of sustainable viticulture give the sharp acidity and minerality that we associate with this wine. Closer examination of the region shows three subtle differences in the soil.
South of the river, rive gauche, the soil is typically Kimmeridgian with it usual mix of limestone gravel and light clay. North of the river, rive doite, the soil is similar but extremely dry, even arid. At the northern end of the Serein Valley in which Chablis lies, on either side of the river, the limestone clay has been enriched over time by a great deal of decomposed plant matter perhaps deposited there by the flow of the river and this is here that the parcelle Fourchaume is located.
We had often heard of these distinctions but had never experienced the difference created by these deposits. Fourchaume is clearly a Chablis. In the glass, the color is a light yellow with pale green reflections when it is young, tending toward golden with age. The nose offers light minerality that lessens with age and the odour of white flowers that seems to melt into honeyed tones with maturity.
Not being completely sure what we would find upon uncorking our bottles, we chose our menu with trepidation, trying to avoid sharp flavors, vinegar and other tastes that could impact the flavor of the wine. We also decided to be traditional in the manner we opened the bottles – youngest to oldest. So we began with the 2004 from Domaine Châtelain. This is a small and relatively young domain, as are most in Chablis. The end of the 19th century heralded a difficult period for the region – mold, phylloxera, two world wars – and despite a 1938 ruling that established the Appellation d’origine controlée, by 1950 less than half the vineyards in Chablis were cultivated.
We opened the 2004 with a composed salad of peas and radish dressed with a lemon cumin dressing, and its relative youth stood up to the spice. The color was pale yellow, and the nose was lightly flowery with hints of minerality. In the mouth, the wine was fresh and fruity. There was light acid that the fruit supported with a slight sweetness. All in all, a pleasant wine to open with friends or a cumin dressing.
Next up was the 1999 from Boudin. More completely known as Boudin Père et Fils Domaine de Chantemerle, this domain is also a family business producing Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume, and 1er Cru Homme Mort. We had decided to serve it with salmon in a dill cream. Pulling the cork on this bottle, the scent was slightly sweet. Not a great sign. In the glass, the color was a deep yellow and the nose while slightly flowery still carried that sweetness. In the mouth, the wine seemed past its prime, unfortunately, and several guests did not finish their glasses. We found it drinkable but not extraordinary.
As a ‘pre-post-script’ (does that make sense?), we had pulled two bottles of this wine from the cave but opened only one. The next afternoon, two other friends stopped by and we opened the second bottle for an aperitif. Wow, what a difference. Never judge a book by its cover, and never judge an older wine by one bottle. Although they were all bought from one owner, the first bottle was ‘off.’ The second was lovely – the color was still a golden yellow, but the nose was full of white flowers melting into honeyed ripeness. In the mouth one could understand why this was a Premier Cru; all the acid and harsh minerality was gone replaced by a structured wash of flavors including fruit, honey, even toast, all supported with a light tannin probably a result of the new oak barrels in which many 1er Cru Chablis spend some time. This was the winner and a great keeper!
To continue the dinner, we decided to tempt tradition by pouring the 1998 from William Fevre with the cheese course. For this exercise, we had chosen cheeses typically from Bourgogne – Epoisses, brillat savarin, and several goat cheeses. Fevre was a respected producer that fell on difficult times in the late 1990’s. Henriot, the family known for the Champagne but no longer the owners, bought the domain in the early 2000’s and have dedicated resources to restoring its reputation.
This bottle stood up to the cheese handily, but brought us little more. Yes, it was obviously a 1er Cru Fourchaume, but we would not rush out for more. Several months prior we had drunk a 2003 Grand Cru from Fevre. Likewise, well made and potentially too young, we did not think that that bottle lived up to its potential either. We’ve decided to give the new owners more time to improve their production before passing final judgment.
For the final, we chose a much older bottle, and a Grand Cru. Knowing that with age, a good bottle will loose more and more acidity and express more sweetness, and a Grand Cru should age longer than a 1er Cru, we chose this one for the dessert course. Unfortunately, the dessert we made was less than stellar which, naturally, reflected badly on the wine. But the wine had beautiful color, a deep golden yellow; the nose was complex and expressed even the beloved mustiness of older Burgundy reds; in the mouth, it was full and round with a lingering flavor of honey and toasted nuts. It was successful but special, not everyone loves old white wines, even if we do! The producer, La Chablisienne, is an old and established cooperative in Chablis, buying grapes from 300 growers, and it has produced excellent wines since 1923.
The real winner here was the 1999 from Boudin. Remembering that Fourchaumes will be rounder and more flowery, buy it, drink it, enjoy!
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