Picture: At Brasserie le Carnot in Beaune with Owner Denise Marabito

Brasserie Le Carnot in Beaune in the Bourgogne is a typical French brasserie. It is open 7 days a week from morning to midnight.

Following the tour of the Hospices de Beaune, we walked over to Le Carnot and had lunch there.

For the visit of the Hospices de Beaune, see:  Visit: Hospices de Beaune– Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars 

In France, you find restaurants, brasseries, bistros, cafes and wine bars. What is the difference?

Brasseries open early in the day and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can also have just a beer or a café. The food is basic and the setting is informal.

Pictures: Brasserie Le Carnot in Beaune

Restaurants are open only for lunch and/or dinner. You go there to eat, often in a rather formal setting. For dinner, the French restaurants typically open at 8pm. The best restaurants are those with 1 to 3 Michelin stars.

Bistros are scaled down versions of restaurants, also open only for lunch and/or dinner. They tend to be less formal. Some bistros are Michelin-starred.

Wine bars primarily serve wine by the glass, but most of them also have elements of a bistro or a brasserie.

Cafés serve as places where people sit to have a café, by themselves or with others, eat something or have glass of wine. Most cafés serve lunch and light dinners in the evening. They generally do not have pastries except during mornings, where a croissant or pain au chocolat can be purchased with breakfast coffee.

Lunch

This was a fun lunch in a lively brasserie. Nothing fancy. Just good. 

Pictures: Lunch at Brasserie Le Carnot in Beaune

Menu du Jour

We had the menu du jour. Some of us had a glass of wine, others a beer to go with the delicious food.

Pictures: Menu du Jour

Postings: Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours:From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History (Published and Forthcoming Postings)

Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History

Dinner at a Bouchon - Chez Paul - in Lyon: Schiller’s Favorite Bouchons in Lyon, France

Introduction to the Burgundy Wine Region at Antic Wine in Lyon with Flying Sommelier Georges Dos Santos - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges, Paul Bocuse’s Iconic Restaurant in Collonges­ au­ Mont­ d’Or, France - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

In the Most Prestigious AOC in the Mâconnais: Pouilly-Fuissé, France

Vineyard Walk, Cellar Walk and Tasting at Domaine Ferret in Fuissé, Poully­ Fuissé, Mâconnais, with Winemaker Audrey Braccini - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting at Domaine Georges Descombes in Vermont, Villié­-Morgon, Beaujolais - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at Restaurant Le Mercurey in Mercurey - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

At Domaine Theulot­-Juillot in Mercurey, Côte Chalonnaise, with Nathalie Theulot - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour of Château de Rully and Tasting of Domaine du Château de Rully Wines, with Count Raoul de Ternay - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Michel Prunier & Fille in Auxey­ Duresses, Côte de Beaune - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Where Robert Parker likes to Eat: Lunch at La Crémaillère in Auxey-Duresses - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Walk in Meursault with Karoline Knoth - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Dinner at the 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Ed.Em in Chassagne Montrachet - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Olivier Leflaive in Puligny Montrachet: Vineyard Walk and Cellar Tour, with Olivier and Patrick Leflaive - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Lunch and Wine Tasting at La Table de Olivier in Puligny Montrachet with Olivier Leflaive – Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Visit: Hospices de Beaune– Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Lunch at Brasserie le Carnot in Beaune

Tour of the Ancient Cellars and Tasting at Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune, Côte de Beaune

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne

An American in Burgundy: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Dublère in Savigny ­lès­ Beaune with Owner/ Winemaker Blair Pethel

Charcuterie and Cheese Paired with 12 Burgundy Wines at La Maison de Maurice in Beaune with Maurice Marle

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Faiveley in Nuits-­Saint­-George, Côte de Nuits

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Jean­-Jacques Confuron in Prémeaux­-Prissey Côte de Nuits with Louis Meunier

Lunch at Restaurant La Cabotte in Nuits-­Saint-­George

Visit and Tasting at Domaine Thibault Liger­-Belair in Nuits­-Saint­-George with Thibault Liger-­Belair

Visit of Château du Clos de Vougeot

Where the Most Expensive Red Wines Come from: Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Anne Gros in Vosne­-Romanée, Côte de Nuits

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Guillon & Fils in Gevrey­-Chambertin, Côte de Nuits, with Jean-Michel Guillon

An Institution: Lunch at Restaurant Chez Guy in Gevrey­-Chambertin

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Armelle et Bernhard Rion in Vosne­-Romanée, Côte de Nuits, with Alice Rion

Tour at the Fontenay Abbey (Bernard de Clairveau), Montbard

Wine Pairing Lunch, Cellar Visit, Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Domaine Jean­ Marc Brocard in Préhy, Chablis

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and other Wine Venues in Chablis, France

Champagne– An Introduction, France

French Champagne Houses and German Roots 

Visit and Tasting at the Grower Champagne House Champagne Jean Josselin in Gyé­ sur ­Seine, Champagne, with Jean Pierre Josselin, his Wife and Sharona Tsubota

Cellar Visit and Tasting at the Champagner House AR Lenoble in Epernay, Champagne, with Export Manager Christian Holthausen

Cellar Visit and Tasting at the Champagner House Taittinger in Reims, Champagne

Lunch at Brasserie Flo in Reims

Picture:The ombiasy Tour Group at Château Beauregard, Appellation Pomerol

In Pomerol, we visited 2 estates: Château Le Bon Pasteur, were we had lunch with Dany Rolland, and Château Beauregard, were we spent the morning, touring the estate and tasting 4 different wines going back as far as 1989.

Roxane Gomez was our host. We also had a chance to meet Guillaume Fredoux, the Technical Director of Château Beauregard, and to talk about the upcoming harvest and other issues we were interested in.

Pictures: Tour at Château Beauregard

Pomerol

Pomerol is remarkable for being unremarkable. It is not a long-established area. There are no beautiful chateaux. There is no real town center, just roads connecting the lands and small, farmhouse style wineries. Pomerol has no classification system. With 800 hectares, it is a small area, with small domains. By contrast: The vineyards of St. Emilion cover more than 5000 hectares; the production of Petrus is just 10% of that of Lafite.

Nevertheless, Pomerol has managed to earn itself a place among the region's most-respected names. The list of the Pomerol’s best properties includes Le Pin, one of the precursors of the Garagistes style, Petrus and Lafleur, with all three of them regarded as "hors classe" growths, and: Eglise-Clinet, Trotanoy, Vieux-Château Certan, L´Evangile, Certan-de-May, La Fleur-Pétrus, Clinet, Bon Pasteur, Le Gay, Rouget, Clos l'Eglise, Nénin, Petit-Village, Lagrange and Gazin. Pomerol, with the wines of Chateau Petrus and Chateau Le Pen, now commands higher prices than those of the long-established Medoc.

Picture: Château Petrus

Pomerol has the highest Merlot share in Bordeaux, with Merlot accounting for 80% and Cabernet Franc for the rest. Vines are old and yields are extremely low.

Over the centuries, Pomerol had always been in the shadow of Medoc, Graves and even St. Emilion. Only at the beginning of the 20th century, things changed when Belgians and primarily Dutchmen were more and more interested in the red Pomerol wines. It was not until the 1950s that British merchants woke up to the wines and began to import them into the UK.

Pictures: With Guillaume Fredoux, Technical Director of Château Beauregard

Château Beauregard

Placed on the eastern outskirts of Pomerol and the hamlet Catusseau near Saint-Émilion, the estate lies in a cluster with Château Petit-Village, Vieux Château Certan and Château La Conseillante.

Château Beauregard is the only “real” château in Pomerol, tracing its beginnings to the 11th century
and the Knights Hospitaliers of St John of Jerusalem. They were active in the Pomerol area and owned a small manoir on this very site.

Pictures: Impressive

On these ruins the De Beauregard family constructed a rather grander edifice five centuries later. It was this building, eventually rather dilapidated, which was replaced by the present day château in 1795–97. With two towers and a moat it is an unusually glamorous structure for the Pomerol district.

After becoming one of the region's leading crus in the 19th century, the estate was bought by the Clauzel family in 1920. In 1991 Beauregard was bought by Crédit Foncière. In 2014, Château Beauregard was bought by a partnerhip between the Moulin Family, the owners of the large, French chain of Galerie Lafayette stores and the Cathiard Family, the owners of Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte.

The vineyard area extends 17.5 hectares, with a grape variety distribution of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc.

Of the Grand vin Château Beauregard there is annually produced 50,000 to 65,000 bottles, and of the second wine Le Benjamin de Beauregard (formerly Domaine des Douves) there is typically produced 25,000 to 35,000 bottles.

Pictures: Empty Barrel Cellar

What we Tasted

We tasted 4 wines, going back to 1989.

Pictures: Tasting at Château Beauregard

In paranthesis are the wine searcher average prices in US$

2011 Château Beauregard (US$ 37)
2003 Château Beauregard (US$ 59)
1993 Château Beauregard (US$ 26)
1989 Château Beauregard (US$ 71)

Bye-bye

Thank you for a great tour and tasting.

Picture: Thank you for a great tour and tasting

Postings on the Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France (Posted and Forthcoming)

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

Bordeaux Wines and their Classifications: The Basics

Bordeaux - En Primeur, Negociants, Courtiers, the Quai de Chartons and the Place de Bordeaux– A Short Introduction

How Does the Negociant System in Bordeaux Work? Tour and Tasting at Millésima - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour and Tasting from Barrel at Domaine de Chevalier, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Adrien Bernard - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Dinner with a View: At Restaurant L’Estacade in Bordeaux City - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France

Schiller's Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France

The Wine Empire of the von Neipperg Family in France, Bulgaria and Germany

Tour and Tasting at Château Canon La Gaffelière, Appellation Saint-Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour and Wine Pairing Lunch at Château Beauséjour, Appellation Puisseguin Saint-Emilion, with Owner/ Winemaker Gérard Dupuis - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Figeac, Premier Grand Cru Classé B, in Saint-Émilion– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Beauregard, Pomerol

Tour at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland

Wine Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland

Tasting were it all Started: At the "Garage" of Jean-Luc Thunevin, Owner and Winermaker of Château Valandraud, Premier Grand Cru Classé since 2012

Tour and Tasting at Château de Fargues, Sauternes, with Prince Eudes d’Orléans

Wine Pairing Lunch at the 1-star Michelin Restaurant Claude Darozze, with Marie-Hélène Lévêque, Owner of Châteaux Chantegrive

Tour of Château de Chantegrive, Appellation Grave

Tour and Tasting at Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte, Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé.

Wine Pairing Lunch at the 2-star Michelin Restaurant La Grande Vigne (at Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte)

Tour of the new Musee du Vin in Bordeaux City

Seafood lunch at Pinasse Cafe in Cap Ferret

Tour of the Earl Ostrea Chanca Oyster Farm and Oyster Tasting in Grand-Piquey, with Oyster Farmer Ralph Doerfler

The 5 Premiers Grands Crus Chateaux en 1855 of Bordeaux, France

What is a Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois? France

Tourt and tasting at Château Palmer, Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Pauillac, 2ième Grand Cru Classé

Wine Lunch at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Pauillac, 2ième Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe, 4ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Michel Tesseron

At the Invitation of Owner Michel Tesseron: Private Dinner at Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe, 4ième Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc

How a Barrel is Made: Visit of the Cooperage Berger & Fils in Vertheuil

Lunch were the Locals eat: At Le Peyrat in Saint-Estèphe in Saint Estephe

Tour and Tasting at Château Léoville Poyferré, Saint-Julien, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, with Anne Cuvelier

Tour and Tasting at Château Margaux, Appellation Margaux, 1ière Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Kirwan, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Nathalie Schyler

Picnic Lunch at Château Kirwan, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Nathalie Schyler

Tour and Wine Dinner at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Daina Paulin  

Picture: Tasting at Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune

We visited Maison Joseph Drouhin, right in the center of Beaune, and had a tasting comprising 6 wines.

Maison Joseph Drouhin

Originally from the Yonne department, Joseph Drouhin founded the négociant company which bears his name in 1880. His son Maurice took over in 1918, buying the first vineyards including the famous Beaune Clos des Mouches. Maurice Drouhin was a significant personality in Beaune, sitting on the INAO committee and acting as Deputy Administrator of the Hospices de Beaune, including during the troubled period of World War II.

Pictures: 1 Cour du Parlement de Bourgogne, Maison Joseph Drouhin

His successor was his nephew and adopted heir Robert Jeausset-Drouhin who took charge in 1957.

Today, the fourth generation is at the helm. Robert Jeausset-Drouhin Drouhin now retains a surveillance role while his children Frédéric (managing director), Laurent (export markets), Philippe (vineyards) and Véronique (oenology and Domaine Drouhin Oregon) run the business.

Pictures: At Maison Joseph Drouhin

With its 73 hectares, the Joseph Drouhin Domaine is one of the largest estates in the region. It owns vineyards all over Burgundy: Chablis (38 hectares), Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune, (32 hectares), Côte Chalonnaise (3 hectares). It is comprised of a majority of Premier and Grand Crus. With close to 90 different appellations, Joseph Drouhin offers a fascinating array of Burgundy terroirs.

Twenty years after Philippe Drouhin first began introducing organic practices, Maison Joseph Drouhin was awarded organic certification for all vineyards it owns, beginning with the 2009 vintage.

Long-time oenologist Laurence Jobard, engaged by Robert Drouhin in 1973, retired after the 2005 vintage and was replaced by Jérome Faure-Brac, a trained oenologist previously with Bichot, while Véronique Drouhin remains on hand to provide continuity of style.

A balance of tradition and modern techniques characterizes Maison Joseph Drouhin’s winemaking and vineyard management: on site nursery, plowing, leaf removal, 100% hand harvesting, open fermenters, fermenting and aging in oak.

The red wines are pre-macerated at 13-15º Celsius, with a very light punching down at the start followed by alternating punching down and pumping over, depending also on the needs of the vintage. The aim is to privilege the fruit in the wine, and to this end bottling is earlier than for most producers.

Tour

We enjoyed a guided tour through Beaune’s most ancient cellars followed by the tasting of 6 emblematic wines from Maison Joseph Drouhin.

At 1 Cour du Parlement de Bourgogne, the Maison Joseph Drouhin cellars are located right in the heart of Beaune.

These historic cellars cover approximately 1 hectare beneath the historic center of Beaune between the Hospice de Beaune and Notre-dame Church. These aren’t just ordinary cellars mind you; they have a bit of age on them. Once part of the original cellars of the Duke of Burgundy’s Parliament, they date back to the 13th century.

Pictures: In the Cellar

The Drouhin cellars read like a history book, with many architectural elements dating back to the 10th century. You’ll get a peek at a wine press from 1570 (still used to press grapes on occasion); and the Liberty Door through which Maurice Drouhin escaped from the Gestapo during World War II. Even the tasting room is walled in history –partially composed of an ancient Roman wall.

Pictures: Tasting

Of course you won’t be the first visitor to grace these cellars. America’s favorite oenophile, Thomas Jefferson, is said to have toured these finely mold covered spaces during his travels in France.

Tasting

We tasted 6 wines.


2011 Maison Joseph Drouhin Chablis Premier Cru
2009 Maison Joseph Drouhin Chassagne-Montrachet
2011 Maison Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru
2012 Maison Joseph Drouhin Côte de Beaune
2008 Maison Joseph Drouhin Nuits-Saint-Georges Damodes Premier Cru
1996 Maison Joseph Drouhin Beaune Clos de Mouches

Pictures: At Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune

 Postings: Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours:From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History (Published and Forthcoming Postings)

Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History

Dinner at a Bouchon - Chez Paul - in Lyon: Schiller’s Favorite Bouchons in Lyon, France

Introduction to the Burgundy Wine Region at Antic Wine in Lyon with Flying Sommelier Georges Dos Santos - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges, Paul Bocuse’s Iconic Restaurant in Collonges­ au­ Mont­ d’Or, France - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

In the Most Prestigious AOC in the Mâconnais: Pouilly-Fuissé, France

Vineyard Walk, Cellar Walk and Tasting at Domaine Ferret in Fuissé, Poully­ Fuissé, Mâconnais, with Winemaker Audrey Braccini - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting at Domaine Georges Descombes in Vermont, Villié­-Morgon, Beaujolais - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at Restaurant Le Mercurey in Mercurey - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

At Domaine Theulot­-Juillot in Mercurey, Côte Chalonnaise, with Nathalie Theulot - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour of Château de Rully and Tasting of Domaine du Château de Rully Wines, with Count Raoul de Ternay - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Michel Prunier & Fille in Auxey­ Duresses, Côte de Beaune - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Where Robert Parker likes to Eat: Lunch at La Crémaillère in Auxey-Duresses - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Walk in Meursault with Karoline Knoth - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Dinner at the 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Ed.Em in Chassagne Montrachet - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Olivier Leflaive in Puligny Montrachet: Vineyard Walk and Cellar Tour, with Olivier and Patrick Leflaive - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Lunch and Wine Tasting at La Table de Olivier in Puligny Montrachet with Olivier Leflaive – Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Visit: Hospices de Beaune– Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Lunch in a Typical French Brasserie: Le Carnot in Beaune - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Tour of the Ancient Cellars and Tasting at Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune, Côte de Beaune

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne

An American in Burgundy: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Dublère in Savigny ­lès­ Beaune with Owner/ Winemaker Blair Pethel

Charcuterie and Cheese Paired with 12 Burgundy Wines at La Maison de Maurice in Beaune with Maurice Marle

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Faiveley in Nuits-­Saint­-George, Côte de Nuits

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Jean­-Jacques Confuron in Prémeaux­-Prissey Côte de Nuits with Louis Meunier

Lunch at Restaurant La Cabotte in Nuits-­Saint-­George

Visit and Tasting at Domaine Thibault Liger­-Belair in Nuits­-Saint­-George with Thibault Liger-­Belair

Visit of Château du Clos de Vougeot

Where the Most Expensive Red Wines Come from: Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Anne Gros in Vosne­-Romanée, Côte de Nuits

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Guillon & Fils in Gevrey­-Chambertin, Côte de Nuits, with Jean-Michel Guillon

An Institution: Lunch at Restaurant Chez Guy in Gevrey­-Chambertin

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Armelle et Bernhard Rion in Vosne­-Romanée, Côte de Nuits, with Alice Rion

Tour at the Fontenay Abbey (Bernard de Clairveau), Montbard

Wine Pairing Lunch, Cellar Visit, Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Domaine Jean­ Marc Brocard in Préhy, Chablis

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and other Wine Venues in Chablis, France

Champagne– An Introduction, France

French Champagne Houses and German Roots 

Visit and Tasting at the Grower Champagne House Champagne Jean Josselin in Gyé­ sur ­Seine, Champagne, with Jean Pierre Josselin, his Wife and Sharona Tsubota

Cellar Visit and Tasting at the Champagner House AR Lenoble in Epernay, Champagne, with Export Manager Christian Holthausen

Cellar Visit and Tasting at the Champagner House Taittinger in Reims, Champagne

Lunch at Brasserie Flo in Reims

Pictures: Tasting at Weingut Markus Molitor

Weingut Markus Molitor was our first stop in the Mosel region. Markus Molitor was on a marketing tour in Asia and his partner Eike Kaspari was our host. Our visit coincided with Weingut Markus Molitor’s "Days of the Open Wine Cellar 2016". Given the circumstances, this tasting was not as intensive as the other tastings on the tour, but still comprehensive. 

Weingut Markus Molitor

In 1984, at the tender age of 20, Markus Molitor took over his father's winery with a clear aim: to produce Mosel Rieslings under the name "Molitor" in the tradition of eight generations and in the same quality that made the region world-famous 100 years ago – terroir-specific, unmistakeable and extremely storable. “80% inclination – 94% Riesling – 100% passion” is the slogan of Markus Molitor.

Ungrafted vines, some of them more than 100 years old, form the basis for the Molitor incomparable, fine Mosel Rieslings. This is quite a large estate with 150 acres of vineyards spread out within the Mosel and Saar valley.

Pictures: Arriving at Weingut Markus Molitor

The Vineyards

The vineyards of Weingut Molitor are spread out over locations from Brauneberg to Traben-Trarbach and, since 2001, also along the River Saar. The vineyards are stocked mainly with Riesling, while Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir are grown on certain selected areas. Pinot Noir on the Mosel? The cultivation of red wine on the Mosel was only prohibited by law in the 1930s. What a lot of people don't know: before that, large areas of the Mosel winegrowing region were covered with Pinot Noir!

The grapes are picked exclusively by hand in several rounds, so that what was carefully observed and nurtured for 350 days of the year is brought to its climax in the harvest. Time is a decisive factor. Despite the increased risk, Markus Molitor harvests quite late. This gives the grapes time to ripen physiologically – the most important criterion to develop the optimum balance of the wines with increased extract values and animating acidity.

Markus Molitor also places great emphasis on the natural management of the vineyards. Soils enriched by exclusively organic means, deliberately gentle cultivation of the vineyards and a balanced leaf-fruit ratio deliver the desired high quality of the grapes – and set the standards for the potential of the resulting wines. High walls of leaves ensure the ideal supply of nutrients for fewer grapes per vine and promote the optimum in terms of extract yield and physiological maturity.

Slate not only has excellent heat storage properties, it is also distinguished by a very specific, localized mineral composition. Blueschist, grey shale and Rotliegend are the best known types of slate, while there are also numerous interim forms.

Pictures: Markus Molitor and Eike Kaspari at the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015 Awards Ceremony in Mainz, Germany

Brauneberger Klostergarten: Overall a very mixed site. Two very steep and two medium steep plots with finely granulated slate soils and a large proportion of stones are mainly planted with Pinot Noir clones of French origin.

Brauneberger Mandelgraben: Overall a very mixed site, ranging from flat to steep. A sloping site that stretches up to the forest, and has ideal water availability even in hot, dry years, with grapes retaining their acidity very well. The rich slate soil is stony with hard quartzite and gravel, producing piquant acidity and finesse.

Bernkasteler Graben: This site is located directly beside the legendary Bernkasteler Doktor vineyard, the most expensive vineyard site in Germany (possibly the world), and is very similar in quality. Planted with extremely old Riesling vines. A relatively rich slate soil that is stony, but never dries out. The wines have an unobtrusive but highly elegant and rich fruitiness and a clear slatey flavour. The sweet wines from this site are extremely complex and complete.

Bernkasteler Badstube: The vineyards located towards the upper end of the site consist of fine slate soils with very good water-retention properties. This produces a very fresh, lively, exceptionally typical Mosel Riesling wine with stable acidity and very good maturation potential, even in the case of the lighter dry wines.

Bernkasteler Lay: Another small top-class terroir in Bernkastel, whose reputation is overshadowed somewhat by the better-known Doktor site. Here we own very good quality plots in the heart of the site with extremely old vines. The slate here is decomposed and fine, regularly producing excellent quality, very ripe harvests with extremely elegant and filigree fruit.

Graacher Himmelreich: Not as steep in all sections as the Domprobst site, but to some extent with even richer slate soils, the site produces very racy, crisp Riesling grapes with firm body and particularly good for dry or off-dry wines. This is our oldest red wine vineyard, producing Pinot Noir with lots of fire and power, needing a long time to mature and develop.

Erdener Treppchen: One of the most famous and legendary top-quality sites of the Middle Mosel. An extremely steep, classically south-facing slope, characterised by stony blue and grey slate soils that are not too dry. Produces most impressive full-bodied, elegantly fruity wines with tremendous ripeness and finesse.

Pictures: Annette and Christian Schiller with Eike Kaspari of Weingut Markus Molitor

Ürziger Würzgarten: The "Ürziger" site is traditionally considered to be a specialty among the Middle Mosel vineyards due to its red iron-rich soil mixed with fine slate. This gives the grapes grown here a totally distinctive character, with spice and opulent fruit as well as a crisp, hearty acid backbone, which produces a tremendously full-bodied wine when combined with emphatic residual sugar, particularly in our Spätlese wines.

Zeltinger Schlossberg: This vineyard site is located above and around the Sonnenuhr site. It is also very steep and has to some extent even richer slate soils than found in the Sonnenuhr, producing crisp and hearty wines with firm acidity and a mineral aftertaste. Ideally suited for particularly dry wines.

Zeltinger Himmelreich: The largest vineyard in Zeltingen with steep slopes as well as flat sections. 95% of the areas owned by the Molitor winery are located on steep and extremely steep slopes, with only 5% in moderate slopes. The soil is made up of fine and decomposed slate, ranging from light to quite deep. Elegant, often beautifully full-bodied and juicy Riesling wines with elegant yellow fruit notes and an interplay of slate.

Zeltinger Sonnenuhr: Covering less than 20 hectares this top Middle Mosel site has mainly very old, ungrafted vines (often more than 80 years old) with fine but also very stony soils of mostly quite light blue Devon slate. The oldest and best plots are often located on small terraces with very little soil, producing very low yields (10-20 hl/ha) of exceptional quality. This site produces our greatest dry and off-dry wines as well as many of our top botrytis wines. All wines grown on the Sonnenuhr have an incomparably elegant ripeness relative to the vintage.

Wehlener Klosterberg: This is at the heart of our vineyards, and stretches up the steep slopes around the winery buildings. It is located in a side valley directly opposite Zeltingen, and faces almost due south. Light to medium-heavy stony soils of decomposed slate with a high proportion of iron to produce mineral-flavoured and long-lived wines with delicate, elegant fruit. Apart from Riesling, our elegant Pinot Blanc (Weißburgunder) grapes are also grown here.

Pictures: Tasting at Weingut Markus Molitor with Eike Kaspari

Wehlener Sonnenuhr: This world-famous top vineyard site borders on the Zeltinger Sonnenuhr but is much more extensive, and thus more variable in quality. The soil is also very stony, but in sections somewhat deeper. It would be splitting hairs to compare the wines of the two Sonnenuhr sites, as both are of exceptionally high quality. Whereas the Wehlen wines are always impressive for their juicy fruit, their unique balance and interplay of nuances, and their slightly piquant acidity, the Zeltingen wines often have an even more impressive ripeness, and an even more incomparable filigree delicacy.

Graacher Domprobst: This is one of the top sites of Graach, relatively small and facing south-west. Here we own some very steep plots of vineyard with a fine, stony slate soil that is not too dry, and indeed is close to perfection. Full-bodied, slatey wines with great character in the dry range, but also extract-rich late harvest and botrytis grapes with a wonderful acid aftertaste.

Pictures: 6 Flights

Haus Klosterberg

The winery is based at the centre of the Wehlener Klosterberg site. Built at the end of the 19th century as a winery, and acquired in 1984 by Markus Molitor, the estate has been restored to its former glory by extensive renovations between 2009 and 2012. With great affection for detail, using historical and modern materials, the estate with its new Vinothek is an architectural highlight among the wineries on the Mosel and has won several awards including the "Architekturpreis Wein 2013".

The old, three-storey vaulted cellar cut out of the slate offers an optimum, permanently cool climate with high humidity in which the wines are fermented extremely slowly. Alongside maturation in stainless steel tanks, the wines are fermented and matured in large (1000 l, 2000 l, 3000 l) wooden barrels of high-grade, air-seasoned oak to ensure an especially natural flavour. These are the ideal maturation containers for high-quality Rieslings and, thanks to natural clarification and moderate oxygen contact, result in the same unmistakeable flavour as they have been doing for centuries.

At Weingut Molitor, the wines are fermented at low temperature and slowly over months. After a pause in the winter, fermentation is ended as the temperatures start to rise in the spring. The wines are then left to lie for several more months on the fine yeast to give them bloom and depth.

In contrast to fermentation with industrially selected yeast cultures, with spontaneous fermentation the yeasts naturally occurring on the skin of the grapes convert the grape sugar into alcohol. Numerous yeast cultures, each of which is dominant at different stages of fermentation, turn the sweet grape juice into delicious Mosel Riesling. The diversity of natural yeasts enhances the complexity of the wines and gives authentic expression to the terroir character. Another advantage of spontaneous fermentation is the lower alcohol yield.

Pictures: The New Mosel Bridge

The Colour Code

The bottles are colour coded according to the taste category of the wine. The dry wines have a white cap. The off-dry wines have a grey-green colour like slate. We do not use the term "semi-dry", as "feinherb" or "off-dry" is the historical term for this style of Mosel Riesling and provides a much better description of the flavour profile of the wines. The naturally sweet and botrytis wines have a gold cap. However, the use of a gold cap for the Molitor Rieslings is not based on any quality evaluation as might be the case with other Mosel wineries who offer gold cap, long gold cap or extra-long gold cap wines.

Postings: Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir (Posted and Forthcoming)

Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir

Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Oetinger, Rheingau, with Achim von Oetinger– Germany-North 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch and Tour: Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Bourgogne in Riesling Land: Tasting at Chat Sauvage in Johannisberg, Rheingau, with Winemaker Michael Städter – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour, Tasting and Dinner at Wein- und Sektgut F.B. Schönleber in Östrich-Winkel, Rheingau, with Ralp and Bernd Schönleber - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Leitz in Rüdesheim, with Johannes Leitz – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut August Kesseler in Assmanshausen, with Winemaker Simon Batarseh – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Rhine River Cruise in the Mittelrhein Valley, an UNESCO World Heritage Region - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Weingut Matthias Müller in Spay, Mittelrhein, with Johannes and Matthias Müller - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting at Winzergenossenschaft Mayschoss in Mayschoss, Ahr – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016

Tasting at Weingut H.J. Kreuzberg in Dernau, Ahr, with Ludwig Kreuzberg and Frank Josten– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016

Tasting at Weingut Markus Molitor in Haus Klosterberg, Mosel

Tasting at Weingut Jos. Jos. Prüm in Bernkastel-Wehlen, Mosel, with Frau Prüm

The Wines of the Berncasteler Doctor, Bernkastel-Kues in the Mosel Valley, Germany

Wining in Bernkastel-Kues in the Mosel Valley: Wine Tavern “Spitzhaeuschen”, Germany

Tasting at Weingut Schloss Lieser in Lieser, Mosel, with Thomas Haag

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Trier, Germany

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken in Saarburg, Saar with Hanno Zilliken

Lunch at Landgasthof Zur Traube in Meddersheim, Nahe: Remembering Klaus Peter Wodartz' Ente in Wiesbaden

Tasting at Weingut Schäfer-Fröhlich in Bockenau, Nahe

Dinner with Wine Pairing at the new Wine Tavern of Weingut Kruger-Rumpf in Bingen, Rheinhessen, with Stefan Rumpf

Tasting at Weingut Tesch in Langenlonsheim, Nahe, with Martin Tesch

Cellar Tour and Wine Pairing Lunch at Weingut Hans Lang in Hattenheim, Rheingau, with Urban Kaufmann and Eva Raps  

Picture: Horst Sauer, Weingut Horst Sauer

We spent a couple of hours with Horst Sauer, the charismatic winemaker from Eschendorf in Franken. We toured with him the vineyards and the new production facility, before sitting down with him for tasting of his bone-dry as well as noble-sweet wines. We also met the next generation, Horst‘s daughter Sandra Sauer, a graduate of the prestigious Geisenheim University, who is managing Weingut Horst Sauer jointly with her father and who is now in the lead in the cellar.

Just across the street of Weingut Horst Sauer is Weingut Rainer Sauer, also a leading winemaker in Franken. But there is no relation between the two.

Picture: Arriving at Weingut Horst Sauer

Franken

Franken, located in the northern part of Bavaria, is boasting a long tradition and some fine terroirs (mostly shell limestone and Keuper, a kind of marl). Its two leading grape varieties are Riesling and Silvaner. Typically, Franken wine comes in the distinctive, dumpily-rounded Franken “Bocksbeutel” wine bottle. The bottle’s unusual shape dates back to at least the 16th century. The Bocksbeutel may only be used for Franken wines. In Germany, it is a sign of excellence, while in the US, many consumers link this kind of bottle shape to lower quality wine.

Pictures: Magdalena Sauer and Sandra Sauer

Weingut Horst Sauer

Weingut Horst Sauer is in Escherndorf in the Main Triangle area in Franken. Horst Sauer made his first wine in 1977, the birth year of his daughter. Since then he has become one of Germany’s truly exceptional winemakers.

Pictures: In the Vineyard with Horst Sauer

Today, the vineyard area totals 20.5 hectares. They are planted with the white grape varieties Silvaner, Müller-Thurgau, Riesling, Bacchus, Pinot Blanc and Scheurebe, as well as with the red varieties Pinot Noir and Domination. The output of Weingut Horst Sauer doubled in the past 10 years.

The wines are made in a newly built four-story winery, where the grapes and wines are moved on the shortest possible routes entirely by gravity. This gentle treatment in conjunction with a slow, restrained fermentation yields very delicate, clean, pure wine.

Fantastic dry wines are produced at this estate mainly from Silvaner, but also from Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir. Besides dry wines Horst Sauer is known for lusciously sweet specialities.

To get a glimpse into his philosophy of winemaking I will quote him here: “The start of a great wine lies in the winemaker’s imagination. I use to keep close watch on nature. Each year is different. The experiences we made in the past change our view and our range of options. You have to consider carefully when to influence, to control, to improve, and to enhance. And you have to find out at which point control becomes manipulation. Each wine has only one spring, one summer, one autumn, and one ripening season. Once you become aware of this fact, you know what it means to be patient. Only those who have a vision will find the way to their goal.”

Pictures: Touring Weingut Horst Sauer with Horst Sauer

20 percent of the production is accounted for by exports. This is a rather high export share by Franconian standards. Asia and Scandinavia are the main export destinations. Nothing comes to the US. 50% of the production is sold at the winery.

Der Feinschmecker on Horst Sauer

Der Feinschmecker: Horst Sauer is an unusual phenomenon in Franconia, which is famous for its dry wines: The committed and also internationally highly honoured winemaker dedicates himself with particular devotion to the production of noble sweet top wines. From the steep sloped vineyard of Escherndorfer Lump, Sauer collects Silvaner and Riesling grapes: With his experienced eye he checks immediately whether they are suitable for his varied range. It is important to harvest the grapes at the time of the correct grade of ripeness. As few other winemakers do, Sauer understands to select the healthy grapes for his dry wines and to choose the exact amount of botrytis – the grapes and parts which give the wine the respective desired degree of creaminess and delicate spices – for his Beerenauslese (select berry harvest) and Trockenbeerenauslese (select dry berry harvest).

Pictures: Numerous Awards

Sauer’s dry wines also have format, they show the saltiness of the shell limestone soil with great poignancy. In the vineyard with its modern architecture – the new building was inaugurated in 2006 – Sauer works side by side with his daughter Sandra, who accompanies the winemaking with her sensory assessment and in addition takes care of the marketing.

Tasting

Pictures: Tasting with Horst Sauer

Gutswein

The Gutswein category are „good from the ground up“ and form the basis of the VDP‘s quality pyramid, which is based on the terroir principle. These are wines made from grapes grown on any vineyard of the estate.

2015 Weingut Horst Sauer Just Silvaner trocken


Ortswein

The grapes of the Weingut Horst Sauer Ortswein category are grown on any vineyard of the estate in the village of Eschendorf. The wines come from younger vines and the edges of the Erste Lage vineyard.

2014 Weingut Horst Sauer Eschendorfer Silvaner trocken
2015 Weingut Horst Sauer Eschendorfer Silvaner trocken
2015 Weingut Horst Sauer Eschendorfer Riesling trocken



Erste Lage - Trocken

Dry wines from a Erste Lage are labelled Qualitätswein S. Our lifeblood is to be found in these wines.

2015 Weingut Horst Sauer Eschendorfer Fürstenberg Müller-Thurgau S. trocken
2015 Weingut Horst Sauer Eschendorfer Fürstenberg Silvaner S. trocken
2015 Weingut Horst Sauer Eschendorfer Lump Silvaner S. trocken
2015 Weingut Horst Sauer Eschendorfer Lump Riesling S. Trocken



Grosse Lage

The Grosse Lage classification distinguishes the very best German vineyards.

2014 Weingut Horst Sauer Eschendorfer Am Lumpen 1655 Silvaner GG trocken
2014 Weingut Horst Sauer Eschendorfer Am Lumpen 1655 Riesling GG trocken


Special Wine

This is a wine made jointly with the head sommelier of the world renowned restaurant Tim Raue in Berlin.

2013 Weingut Horst Sauer ES IST WIE ES IST Die Dritte Cuvee mit Andre Macionga


Erste Lage – Edelsüss

2013 Weingut Horst Sauer Eschendorfer Lump Silvaner Trockenbeerenauslese


Postings: Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture and History (Published and Forthcoming Postings)

Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture and History

Tasting at Weingut Uwe Lützkendorf, with Uwe Lützkendorf, in Bad Kösen, Saale-Unstrut – Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Visit and Wine Tasting Lunch at Weingut Hey in Naumburg, Saale-Unstrut, with Matthias Hey – Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Weingut Pawis in the Saale Unstrut Region: Wine Tasting with Marcus Pawis – Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in the Saale Unstrut Region, Germany

Wine Lunch at the Historic Vincenz Richter Restaurant, Weingut Vincenz Richter in Meissen with Senior Boss Gottfried Herrlich – Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Visit, Tasting and Dinner at Weingut Schloss Proschwitz, Prinz zur Lippe in Zadel, Sachsen, with Georg Prinz zur Lippe - Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Weingut Tim Strasser/ Rothes Gut in Meissen, Sachsen, with Tim Strasser - Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch with Wine Pairing at Weingut Drei Herren in Radebeul, Sachsen, with Restaurant Manager/ Sommelier Dirk Brauer - Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Visit of Weingut Klaus Zimmerling: The Wines of Klaus Zimmerling and the Art of his Wife Malgorzata Chodakoska - Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Lunch at Weingut Lutz Müller, Schloss Albrechtsburg, Sachsen - Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in Sachsen (Saxony), Germany

Tour, Tasting and Dinner at Weingut Zur Schwane in Volkach, Franken, with General Manager/ Winemaker Christian Kallisch - Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Vinyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Horst Sauer in Eschendorf, Franken, with Horst Sauer

Vineyard tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Schmitt’s Kinder in Randersacker, Franken, with Martin Johann Schmitt

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Staatlicher Hofkeller in Würzburg, Franken, with General Manager Marcel von den Benken

Schiller’s Favorites: 2 Legendary Wine Taverns in Würzburg – Juliusspital and Bürgerspital

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Würzburg, Franken, Germany

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour, Lunch and Tasting at Weingut Fürst Hohenlohe Öhringen in Öhringen–Verrenberg,Württemberg with Winemaker Joachim Brand

Visit of Staatsweingut Weinsberg in Weinsberg, Württemberg, with Kyle Frank from the Finger Lakes

Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour, Tasting and Dinner at Weingut Graf von Bentzel-Sturmfeder in Schozach, Württemberg, with Kilian Graf von Bentzel-Sturmfeder 

Picture: Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and WineTours, with a 2012 Chateau Le Crock, Cru Bourgeois, and a 2012 Chateau Leoville Poyferre, a Classified Growth, both owned by the Cuvelier Family. In the (Annulled) 2003 Classification, Chateau Le Crock was a Cru Bourgeois Superieur

On September 22, 2016, the Alliance des Crus Bourgeois du Medoc announced that 278 chateaux had made it into the official selection for the 2014 vintage.

Around 30 million bottles of wine are expected to carry the Cru Bourgeois label. Most estates selected are AOC Medoc and Haut-Medoc properties, but there are also several properties from Pauillac, Margaux and St Estephe, as well as Listrac-Medoc and Moulis.

The full list of the 2014 Official Selection of the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc is available here.

For earlier selections, see:
The 251 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc of the 2013 Vintage Announced, France
The 267 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc of the 2012 Vintage Announced, France
The 256 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc of the 2011 Vintage Announced, France  
The 260 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc of the 2010 Vintage, France

The Cru Bourgeois Classification of 1932

From 1932 to the end of the 1900s, the Cru Bourgeois du Medoc system was a classification system set in stone. The first Cru Bourgeois list was drawn up by the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Chamber of Agriculture in 1932, selecting 444 estates from the Medoc for the classification. These were wines that were not included in the 1855 Classification of Crus Classes, but still of high quality.

Cru Bourgeois du Médoc Today: A Label Awarded Annually

Today, the Cru Bourgeois du Medoc is a wine label that is awarded annually, on the basis of an assessment of both production methods and the wine. Production methods are periodically inspected and the wines are submitted to an independent panel for annual tasting. Any property in the Médoc may apply.

The first vintage that came under the current system, is the 2008 vintage, announced in 2010.

Note that some very highly regarded wines outside the 1855 classification such as Château Gloria and Château Sociando-Mallet do not submit their wines for the Cru Bourgeois du Medoc classification. Thus, there is a sizable number of top producers in the Medoc today that are neither in the 1855 classification nor in the Cru Bourgeois du Medoc classification.

Picture: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Wine Dinner at Chateau Lassus, a Crus Bourgeois du Medoc, during the Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015) with Owner and Winemaker Stefan Paeffgen and his Wife Hike. Vignobles Paeffgen comprises 4 chateaux: Le Reysse, Lassus (Crus Bourgeois du Medoc), Clos du Moulin (Cru Bourgeoi du Medoc) and Moulin de Lestagne.

See:
A German Wine Maker in the Medoc: Dinner with Stefan Paeffgen at Château Le Reysse, France
Wine Dinner with Stefan and Heike Paeffgen, Château Le Reysse and Château Clos du Moulin, Vignobles Paeffgen, Appellation Médoc– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

The Cru Bourgeois Classification of 2003 (Annulled)

In between the current annual classification system and the 1932 classification system set in stone, there was a new classification introduced in 2003 that was subject to a lot of controversy and later annulled. Of the 490 châteaux that applied to be included in the classification of 2003, only 247 were included, a significant contraction of the original listing made in 1932 (444 estates).

The 2003 Cru Bourgeois classification classified the 247 properties in three tiers: Exceptionnel (9 properties), Supérieurs (87 properties) and straight Bourgeois (151 properties).

In February 2007, the 2003 was annulled. At this point, the 1932 classification was briefly reinstated, with its single tier and 444 estates.

The Future: A New Classification System

Recently, the members of the Alliance des Crus Bourgeois du Médoc voted overwhelmingly in favor of the creation of a classification system for their wines. The move was approved by 75% of members in a secret ballot with a provisional timetable setting a date of 2020 for the introduction of the system.

The new classification in 2020 will bring an end to the yearly assessments that have run since 2008 and the categories assigned to estates from then on will stand for five years. Châteaux can apply to be ‘Cru Bourgeois’ or they can apply for the ‘Supérieur’ and ‘Exceptionnel’ categories where, in addition to passing a qualitative tasting test, they must pass other criteria including their agricultural and environmental practices, property management and promotion of their wine.

schiller-wine: Related Posting 

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

Bordeaux Wines and their Classifications: The Basics

Bordeaux - En Primeur, Negociants, Courtiers, the Quai de Chartons and the Place de Bordeaux– A Short Introduction

What is a Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois? France

Château Léoville-Poyferré, Chateau Le Crock, Didier Cuvelier in Bordeaux and the Cuvelier Los Andes Wines in Argentina

A German Wine Maker in the Medoc: Dinner with Stefan Paeffgen at Château Le Reysse, France

Pictures: Tour with Dany Rolland at Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol Dany Rolland Welcoming the Group

Led by Annette Schiller, the Bordeaux Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours took place from September 6 to 15, 2016. The group comprised 14 wine lovers from the United States and Switzerland, including Annette and Christian Schiller.

I already provided an overview about the whole tour: Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

This posting covers our visit of Château Le Bon Pasteur. We toured Château Le Bon Pasteur and had a fabulous wine lunch at the estate. Dany Rolland and Benoit Prévot, General Manager and Winemaker, were our hosts for the tour and for the lunch.

Pictures: Welcome - Dany Rolland and Benoit Prévot

Château Le Bon Pasteur was acquired by the Rolland family around 1920. The grandson of the original owner, Michel Rolland, well known around the world as “flying winemaker” and wine consultant, and his wife Dany, a highly regarded oenologist in her own right, created a model vineyard and produce outstanding wines.The Rolland family recently sold the winery to a Chinese investor.

Change of Ownership

Château Le Bon Pasteur was acquired by the Rolland family around 1920. The grandson of the original owner, Michel Rolland, well known around the world as “flying winemaker” and wine consultant, and his wife Dany, also an oenologist, created a model vineyard and produce outstanding wines. Not so long ago, they sold it to Pan Sutong, a Hong Kong businessman and entrepreneur.

According to Forbes 2015 World Billionaire's list published in March 2015, Sutong was placed at number 153 with an estimated net worth of $8.6 billion. Pan Sutong is a wine lover. In 2011, his Goldin Group bought the Sloan Estate in the Napa Valley. The Sloan 2002 and 2007 vintages were awarded 100 points by Robert Parker.

In 2013, the Group purchased three châteaux in Bordeaux, namely Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol, Château Rolland-Maillet in Saint-Émilion and Château Bertineau St-Vincent in Lalande-de-Pomerol. As Goldin Financial’s long-term working partner, Michel Rolland facilitated this acquisition. Similar to Sloan, despite the transfer of ownership, nothing changed in terms of wine-making procedures and staff.

Pictures: In the Vineyards of Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol with Dany Rolland

Pomerol

Pomerol is remarkable for being unremarkable. It is not a long-established area. There are no beautiful chateaux. There is no real town center, just roads connecting the lands and small, farmhouse style wineries. Pomerol has no classification system. With 800 hectares, it is a small area, with small domains. By contrast: The vineyards of St. Emilion cover more than 5000 hectares; the production of Petrus is just 10% of that of Lafite.

Nevertheless, Pomerol has managed to earn itself a place among the region's most-respected names. The list of the Pomerol’s best properties includes Le Pin, one of the precursors of the Garagistes style, Petrus and Lafleur, with all three of them regarded as "hors classe" growths, and: Eglise-Clinet, Trotanoy, Vieux-Château Certan, L´Evangile, Certan-de-May, La Fleur-Pétrus, Clinet, Bon Pasteur, Le Gay, Rouget, Clos l'Eglise, Nénin, Petit-Village, Lagrange and Gazin. Pomerol, with the wines of Chateau Petrus and Chateau Le Pen, now commands higher prices than those of the long-established Medoc.

Pomerol has the highest Merlot share in Bordeaux, with Merlot accounting for 80% and Cabernet Franc for the rest. Vines are old and yields are extremely low.

Over the centuries, Pomerol had always been in the shadow of Medoc, Graves and even St. Emilion. Only at the beginning of the 20th century, things changed when Belgians and primarily Dutchmen were more and more interested in the red Pomerol wines. It was not until the 1950s that British merchants woke up to the wines and began to import them into the UK.

Pictures: In the Cellar of Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol with Dany Rolland

Château Le Bon Pasteur

Château Le Bon Pasteur was acquired by the Rolland family - Joseph and Hermine Dupuy - in 1920. The grandson of the original owner, Michel Rolland, well known around the world as “flying winemaker” and wine consultant, and his wife Dany, also an oenologist, created a model vineyard and produce outstanding wines. In May, 2013, Le Bon Pasteur (including the two affiliated properties) was sold to Sutong Pan, the first Asian investor to buy a truly legendary Pomerol estate. Dany and Michel Rolland continue to manage the estate and make the wine.

In the beginning, the owners grew the grapes, but sold the harvest in bulk to negociants. The Dupony family later passed Le Bon Pasteur on to their children, Serge and Geneviève Rolland. In 1978, the Rolland family continued the tradition and gave Chateau Le Bon Pasteur to their children Michel and Jean-Daniel Rolland. This gave birth to the modern era for Le Bon Pasteur and the start of the career for Michel Rolland.

The property Le Bon Pasteur originally consisted of vineyards in the three communes of Pomerol, Saint-Émilion and Néac, the last one in the appellation Lalande-de-Pomerol. Originally all three wines were called Le Bon Pasteur, with the respective appellation indicated. From 1978, the wine from Saint-Émilion has been called Château Rolland-Maillet and that from Lalande-de-Pomerol called Château Bertineau Saint-Vincent. They are all produced at Le Bon Pasteur.

Le Bon Pasteur consists of 7 hectares with 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Production averages 2,500 cases.

Starting with the 2010 vintage, the grapes are fermented in barrel, with the barrels being regularly turned during the maceration period. Also, in 2010, Michel and Dany Rolland started to include about 1/3 whole clusters in the fermentation. The wines are aged for 15 to 18 months in 100% new French oak barrels and then bottled without fining and filtering.

The closest neighbor is Château l’Evangile, and possibly some parts of the next neighbor Château La Conseillante are also visible.

Picture: Annette Schiller and Dany Rolland in Washington DC

Michel and Dany Rolland

Michel Rolland grew up on Château Le Bon Pasteur. He studied at the prestigious Bordeaux Oenology Institute, where he met his wife and fellow oenologist, Dany Rolland, and graduated as part of the class of 1972. In 1973, Michel Rolland and his wife bought into an oenology lab in Libourne. They took over full control of the lab in 1976 and expanded it to include tasting rooms. Michel and Dany Rolland's two daughters, Stéphanie and Marie, also work at the lab.

After having sold Château Le Bon Pasteur, Château Bertineau Saint-Vincent in Lalande de Pomerol and Château Rolland-Maillet in Saint-Émilion, the Rollands still own several properties in Bordeaux, including Château Fontenil in Fronsac, and Château La Grande Clotte in Lussac-Saint-Émilion. In addition, they are joint venture partnerships with Bonne Nouvelle in South Africa, Val de Flores in Argentina, Campo Eliseo in Spain and Yacochuya and Clos de los Siete in Argentina.

In addition, Michel Rolland consults for many pasting lunchroducers in Bordeaux, in Argentina, South Africa (Simonsberg Stellenbosch), and Spain (Toro).

Wine Tasting Lunch

Following the tour, we had a fun wine tasting lunch with Dany Rolland and Benoit Prévot. This will be covered in a separate posting.

Pictures: Wine Pairing Lunch with Dany Rolland at Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol

Postings on the Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France (Posted and Forthcoming)

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

Bordeaux Wines and their Classifications: The Basics

Bordeaux - En Primeur, Negociants, Courtiers, the Quai de Chartons and the Place de Bordeaux– A Short Introduction

How Does the Negociant System in Bordeaux Work? Tour and Tasting at Millésima - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour and Tasting from Barrel at Domaine de Chevalier, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Adrien Bernard - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Dinner with a View: At Restaurant L’Estacade in Bordeaux City - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France

Schiller's Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France

The Wine Empire of the von Neipperg Family in France, Bulgaria and Germany

Tour and Tasting at Château Canon La Gaffelière, Appellation Saint-Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour and Wine Pairing Lunch at Château Beauséjour, Appellation Puisseguin Saint-Emilion, with Owner/ Winemaker Gérard Dupuis - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Figeac, Premier Grand Cru Classé B, in Saint-Émilion– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Beauregard, Appellation Pomerol– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland

Wine Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland

Tasting were it all Started: At the "Garage" of Jean-Luc Thunevin, Owner and Winermaker of Château Valandraud, Premier Grand Cru Classé since 2012

Tour and Tasting at Château de Fargues, Sauternes, with Prince Eudes d’Orléans

Wine Pairing Lunch at the 1-star Michelin Restaurant Claude Darozze, with Marie-Hélène Lévêque, Owner of Châteaux Chantegrive

Tour of Château de Chantegrive, Appellation Grave

Tour and Tasting at Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte, Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé.

Wine Pairing Lunch at the 2-star Michelin Restaurant La Grande Vigne (at Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte)

Tour of the new Musee du Vin in Bordeaux City

Seafood lunch at Pinasse Cafe in Cap Ferret

Tour of the Earl Ostrea Chanca Oyster Farm and Oyster Tasting in Grand-Piquey, with Oyster Farmer Ralph Doerfler

The 5 Premiers Grands Crus Chateaux en 1855 of Bordeaux, France

What is a Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois? France

Tourt and tasting at Château Palmer, Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Pauillac, 2ième Grand Cru Classé

Wine Lunch at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Pauillac, 2ième Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe, 4ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Michel Tesseron

At the Invitation of Owner Michel Tesseron: Private Dinner at Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe, 4ième Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc

How a Barrel is Made: Visit of the Cooperage Berger & Fils in Vertheuil

Lunch were the Locals eat: At Le Peyrat in Saint-Estèphe in Saint Estephe

Tour and Tasting at Château Léoville Poyferré, Saint-Julien, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, with Anne Cuvelier

Tour and Tasting at Château Margaux, Appellation Margaux, 1ière Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Kirwan, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Nathalie Schyler

Picnic Lunch at Château Kirwan, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Nathalie Schyler

Tour and Wine Dinner at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Daina Paulin  

Picture: Annette Schiller and Blair Pethel, Owner/ Winemaker, Domaine Dublère in Savigny­ lès­ Beaune

Domaine Dublère in Savigny­ lès­ Beaune is owned by native North Carolina and longtime resident of Washington DC Blair Pethel. For 25 years he worked in Washington DC as political journalist. In 2003 he gave in to his inner callings and followed his love – Burgundy wines – to Beaune. He interned with top Burgundian winegrowers and winemakers to learn everything possible about the unique terroir and winemaking process. He eventually established his own domaine and was able to purchase parcels in top vineyard sites in the Côte de Beaune and in the Côte de Nuits, and in addition he purchases fruit from a handful of superb growers across the Côte D’Or. I quote Allen Meadows (Burghound.com Issue 42, 2011): “Pethel clearly has a gifted touch because the wines are almost too good to have been made by someone with so little practical experience (he employs no consultants).

We visited Blair Pethel on the Burgundy and Champagne 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours. See here for the whole tour: Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History

Picture: Arriving

Lou Marmon: An American Winemaker in Burgundy Feels the Squeeze in Economic Downturn

By Lou Marmon
Special to The Washington Post
Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Blair Pethel, who moved from Potomac to France in 2003, learned to speak French and endured hostility toward Americans in his efforts to become a Burgundian winemaker. His Domaine Dublere has received critical acclaim.

These are tough times to be a winemaker. Consumers are buying but overall sales are down, and the demand for the higher-priced wines has nearly evaporated. The larger producers are better positioned to withstand the economic downturn, but even the giant wine conglomerates are laying off employees. For smaller producers who make limited amounts of the world's finest wines, these conditions are potentially disastrous.

This is not what Blair Pethel bargained for when he uprooted his wife and two young sons from Washington in 2003 to fulfill his dreams in the Burgundian vineyards. Making wine is a perilous, capital-intensive enterprise completely at the mercy of capricious weather, global economic upheavals and unpredictable consumer preferences. It is especially difficult for an American within the heavily regulated French wine industry, with its layers of bureaucracy and inherent prejudices against outsiders.

There are nearly 4,300 producers in Burgundy, and these "domaines" are mostly small, family-run affairs. The region's emphasis on quality and the rural lifestyle are among the factors that prompted Pethel to give up his career and a house in Potomac to move his family to France and become a winemaker, even though he didn't speak French at the time.

Pictures: Touring Domaine Dublère with Blair Pethel

The financial environment has hit Pethel hard. The Burgundy Wine Board reported that exports, a mainstay of the region's economy, were down by nearly 30 percent in the last quarter of 2008. Almost the entire decline is attributed to decreased demand in the United States and the United Kingdom, two of Pethel's primary markets. Combined with a less than stellar 2007 growing season in Burgundy and despite critical acclaim for his Domaine Dublere wines, the current release is selling at a snail's pace.

"I am really struggling," he said recently. "I easily sold out all of my wines in '04, '05 and '06. But with the downturn the '07s are not selling well. Cash flow is killing me. My livelihood and that of my family are being threatened." He has the capacity to produce about 30,000 bottles annually; he filled 22,000 bottles in '07.

Three domaines are owned by Americans; Pethel is the only one who personally handles every aspect of his. Tall, trim, with silver-flecked brown hair and a wide smile, the 52-year-old is charmingly articulate. Growing up in North Carolina did not give him much exposure to wine. He pursued an acting career during college but ultimately returned home, eventually landing a position at the Greensboro News & Record and completing his journalism degree. A scholarship led to piano study and a doctorate at the Peabody Institute. He mastered polo because he got a job at the Polo Magazine. He declined a career in music or polo and returned to the News & Record. He tried out for the TV game show "Jeopardy!," which he won twice.

In 1987, Pethel followed his girlfriend to England. Three weeks later, they split up and Pethel found himself in London "with nothing, knowing no one and no prospects." He decided that "since I was in Europe, I'd try to learn about wine." After tasting some Burgundies, he started to routinely visit the region and brought back prodigious amounts of wine stashed in every conceivable crevice of his car.

He met his future wife, Fran, at a London ballet; the new couple vacationed frequently in Burgundy. They moved to Washington during the Clinton years, when Pethel worked for Knight Ridder as an economic correspondent. A timely inheritance allowed them to buy a home in Potomac. Both of their sons were born in Maryland, and the family became submerged in a life of carpools and school activities.

Despite their suburban success, or perhaps because of it, Fran and Blair continued to strive to return to France. "We suffered terrific culture shock on coming back to the U.S. in 1994," Pethel said. "We felt that the value system in the U.S., which places emphasis on work, income and consumption more than on relationships and happiness, did not agree with our own."

In 2002, they bought and renovated a 410-year-old house in Beaune, the medieval walled city that is the capital of the Burgundian wine industry. The following year was not the best time for an American to move to France. The U.S.-led invasion of Iraq began in March, and Europeans' anti-American sentiment was almost palpable. Despite the tensions between America and France, Pethel and his family were welcomed in Beaune. Fran got a job as a teacher, and their neighbors were friendly.

Pethel answered an ad for a field hand and met Burgundy producer Jean-Marc Pillot, who recalls that "a short phone interview left me somewhat suspicious of his accent, which was -- how to put it -- not typically Burgundian. You'll understand my surprise when, at the time we'd arranged for a personal interview, I heard the roar of a Mercedes convertible arriving in the courtyard. A couple of seconds later, a tall man extracted himself from the car, typically American, with an earring but with, at the same time, an air of dynamism and kindness. After several questions, I immediately saw that Pethel was passionate about Burgundy, and in this profession, it's passion that drives everything."

Pictures: Tasting with Blair Pethel

He worked for other winemakers until he could buy his own vineyards and renovate a former tractor shed into a winery. Pethel had to become fluent in French in order to complete a rigorous 10-month course at the Lycee Viticole de Beaune. Known as Burgundy School, it is where the local winemaking regulations are taught along with organic chemistry and tax law, all in French. Some of his classmates were less than enthusiastic about an American joining their ranks. "Good-natured teasing I can stand," Pethel said. "This was not. I had to threaten to punch one guy to get him to back off."

Despite the hostility and other obstacles, his Domaine Dublere began to thrive. But, as it has elsewhere, the downturn has reversed Pethel's fortunes. Yet to be a winemaker is to be an optimist. While Pethel doesn't expect any financial help from what he calls "the socialist French government," the Burgundy Wine Board sees potential growth in nontraditional markets and is promoting the region's wines aggressively. There is hope that the economy will recover and that the 2009 vintage will live up to expectations.

However, Fran notes that her husband doesn't play the piano much anymore. One evening, as he waited for their kids to get settled before the couple went out for dinner, he sat at his grand piano and played a Schumann concerto. Pethel was so absorbed that he didn't hear anyone walk in the room. After a few minutes, he noticed Fran and a visitor listening in a corner.

"We should get going," he said with a grin. "I have to be back in the vineyards early in the morning."

Lou Marmon is a doctor and freelance wine writer. He can be reached through his Web site at http://www.grapelines.com.

The Wines we Tasted with Blair Pethel

We went through a series of impressive wines. Some were already bottled. Others were still in barrel.


Thank You

Thank you Blair. This was a great tour and tasting.

Picture: Christian and Blair Pethel, Owner/ Winemaker, Domaine Dublère in Savigny­ lès­ Beaune

Postings: Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours:From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History (Published and Forthcoming Postings)

Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History

Dinner at a Bouchon - Chez Paul - in Lyon: Schiller’s Favorite Bouchons in Lyon, France

Introduction to the Burgundy Wine Region at Antic Wine in Lyon with Flying Sommelier Georges Dos Santos - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges, Paul Bocuse’s Iconic Restaurant in Collonges­ au­ Mont­ d’Or, France - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

In the Most Prestigious AOC in the Mâconnais: Pouilly-Fuissé, France

Vineyard Walk, Cellar Walk and Tasting at Domaine Ferret in Fuissé, Poully­ Fuissé, Mâconnais, with Winemaker Audrey Braccini - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting at Domaine Georges Descombes in Vermont, Villié­-Morgon, Beaujolais - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at Restaurant Le Mercurey in Mercurey - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

At Domaine Theulot­-Juillot in Mercurey, Côte Chalonnaise, with Nathalie Theulot - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour of Château de Rully and Tasting of Domaine du Château de Rully Wines, with Count Raoul de Ternay - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Michel Prunier & Fille in Auxey­ Duresses, Côte de Beaune - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Where Robert Parker likes to Eat: Lunch at La Crémaillère in Auxey-Duresses - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Walk in Meursault with Karoline Knoth - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Dinner at the 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Ed.Em in Chassagne Montrachet - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Olivier Leflaive in Puligny Montrachet: Vineyard Walk and Cellar Tour, with Olivier and Patrick Leflaive - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Lunch and Wine Tasting at La Table de Olivier in Puligny Montrachet with Olivier Leflaive – Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Visit: Hospices de Beaune– Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Lunch in a Typical French Brasserie: Le Carnot in Beaune - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting: Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune– Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne

An American in Burgundy: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Dublère in Savigny ­lès­ Beaune with Owner/ Winemaker Blair Pethel

Charcuterie and Cheese Paired with 12 Burgundy Wines at La Maison de Maurice in Beaune with Maurice Marle

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Faiveley in Nuits-­Saint­-George, Côte de Nuits

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Jean­-Jacques Confuron in Prémeaux­-Prissey Côte de Nuits with Louis Meunier

Lunch at Restaurant La Cabotte in Nuits-­Saint-­George

Visit and Tasting at Domaine Thibault Liger­-Belair in Nuits­-Saint­-George with Thibault Liger-­Belair

Visit of Château du Clos de Vougeot

Where the Most Expensive Red Wines Come from: Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Anne Gros in Vosne­-Romanée, Côte de Nuits

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Guillon & Fils in Gevrey­-Chambertin, Côte de Nuits, with Jean-Michel Guillon

An Institution: Lunch at Restaurant Chez Guy in Gevrey­-Chambertin

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Armelle et Bernhard Rion in Vosne­-Romanée, Côte de Nuits, with Alice Rion

Tour at the Fontenay Abbey (Bernard de Clairveau), Montbard

Wine Pairing Lunch, Cellar Visit, Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Domaine Jean­ Marc Brocard in Préhy, Chablis

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and other Wine Venues in Chablis, France

Champagne– An Introduction, France

French Champagne Houses and German Roots 

Visit and Tasting at the Grower Champagne House Champagne Jean Josselin in Gyé­ sur ­Seine, Champagne, with Jean Pierre Josselin, his Wife and Sharona Tsubota

Cellar Visit and Tasting at the Champagner House AR Lenoble in Epernay, Champagne, with Export Manager Christian Holthausen

Cellar Visit and Tasting at the Champagner House Taittinger in Reims, Champagne

Lunch at Brasserie Flo in Reims

Pictures: Selfies at the 2016 American Wine Society National Conference with Peter Mondavi Jr., Co-Proprietor, Charles Krug Winery, Bérénice Lurton, Owner/ Winemaker, Château Climens in Bordeaux and Paul Wagner, President of Balzac Communications Marketing

The 2016 American Wine Society (AWS) National Conference took place on Thursday, November 2 to Saturday, November 5, 2016, at the Hilton Orange County in Costa Mesa, South of Los Angeles.

Picture: 2016 American Wine Society National Conference in Costa Mesa

Pictures: Hilton Orange County in Costa Mesa

More than 400 AWS members from all over the USA came to this 3-day event, filled with tastings, seminars and presentations. Prominent wine makers included: Joel Peterson, Founder of Ravenswood Winery; Bérénice Lurton, Owner of Château Climens; Peter Mondavi Jr., Co-Proprietor, Charles Krug Winery and Randall Grahm, Bonny Doon Vineyard.

Annette Schiller, member of the AWS, led 2 well-attended tastings about German wine and had an ombiasy WineTours booth.

Picture: Conference Chairperson Diane Meyer with Annette Schiller at the ombiasy Winetours Booth

Thursday was the day of wine judging. There were full-day courses for those who want to become a certified AWS Wine Judge. This is a 3-year program. Also, the Amateur and Commercial Wine Competitions took place on Thursday.

Friday and Saturday was filled with about 50 wine seminars, led by winery owners, wine educators, and renowned wine makers. The breakfasts, lunches, dinners and after-dinner gatherings provided ample opportunities to network with other AWS members.

There were 2 pre-conference trips, in which Annette and I did not participate. Instead, we explored the Los Angeles area before and after the conference.

This is the first in a series of postings related to the American Wine Society National Conference 2016 in California:

American Wine Society National Conference 2016 in California, USA: Seen Through Christian Schiller's Camera Lens
The New Germany: Red, Dry, Sparkling - Annette Schiller, President of Ombiasy PR & Wine Tours
The New Classification of German Wines: The VDP Classification - Annette Schiller, President of Ombiasy PR & Wine Tours
The Insider’s View of Charles Krug Winery - Peter Mondavi Jr., Co-Proprietor, Charles Krug Winery
Bordeaux: the Grands Crus Classes 2013 Vintage - Paul Wagner, President of Balzac Communications Marketing
Château Climens, Premier Cru Barsac and Savory Dishes…who knew? - Bérénice Lurton, Owner of Château Climens & Tony Lawrence, Global Food & Wine Pairing Specialist

The American Wine Society

The American Wine Society was founded in 1967 as a non-profit, educational, consumer-oriented organization for those interested in learning more about all aspects of wine. On October 7, 1967, around 200 grape growers, home winemakers, and wine lovers gathered at Dr. Konstantin Frank’s vineyard on Keuka Lake near Hammondsport, NY for the AWS’ initial meeting.

Picture: Last Revisions to the Power Point Presentations

In December of the same year, the thirteen charter members, led by Founder Dr. Konstantin Frank, met to determine the organization structure of AWS and elect officers. Now in its 49th year, the American Wine Society is the largest consumer based wine education organization in North America. Membership is open to anyone interested in wine and over 21 years of age.

Pictures: With Veronica Castro, Responsible for the Excellent German Wine Selection at Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Meza

In the early days, AWS members were located primarily in the eastern part of the country. As the society grew , we established chapters throughout the eastern U.S., then into the south and Midwest, and finally into western states. Today, the American Wine Society has over 5,000 members in 45 states and 120 chapters across the U.S.

Each November the Society hosts hosts a three-day national conference with two full days of educational seminars, nearly 49 to choose from. Winery owners, wine educators, and renowned wine makers are selected to present sessions during this national event. In addition, a program educating members to become AWS certified wine judges is conducted on the day preceding the seminars.

Pictures: Getting Wine from Rudi Wiest Selections in Carlsbad

2016 American Wine Society National Conference Schedule

Picture: 2016 American Wine Society National Conference Schedule

Thursday

7 am to 5 pm: Wine Judge Certification Program

7:30 pm to 9:30 pm: Welcome Reception

Pictures: Welcome Reception. Annette and Christian Schiller with Peter Mondavi Jr.

10:00 pm to 12:00 pm: Hospitality Suite

Picture: After Dinner Drinks

Friday


7:30 am to 8:45 pm: Sparkling Wine Breakfast

Pictures: Sparkling Wine Breakfast with President Frank Aquilino and Conference Chairperson Diane Meyer

8:45 am to 6:00 pm: Exhibits

Pictures: Peter Mondavi Jr. at the ombiasy WineTours Booth

Morning Sessions

Bordeaux: the Grands Crus Classes 2013 Vintage - Paul Wagner, President of Balzac Communications Marketing

Pictures: Bordeaux: the Grands Crus Classes 2013 Vintage - Paul Wagner, President of Balzac Communications Marketing

12:30 pm to 2:15 pm: Luncheon & Business Meeting sponsored by Santa Barbara Vintners

Pictures: Luncheon & Business Meeting sponsored by Santa Barbara Vintners

Afternoon Sessions

The New Germany: Red, Dry, Sparkling - Annette Schiller, President of Ombiasy PR & Wine Tours

Pictures: The New Germany: Red, Dry, Sparkling - Annette Schiller, President of Ombiasy PR & Wine Tours

Annette Schiller led a similar tasting - with more wines - at the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) a week before. See: The New Germany – Red, Dry, Sparkling: German Wine Society Tasting, led by Annette Schiller, at Restaurant Old Europe in Washington DC

7:30 pm to 9:30 pm: Showcase of Wine

Pictures: Annette and Christian Schiller with Joel Peterson, Founder of Ravenswood Winery

Pictures: Annette and Christian Schiller with Bérénice Lurton, Owner/ Winemaker, Château Climens in Bordeaux

Pictures: Paul Wagner, Tony Lawrence, Annette Schiller, Christian Schiller

10:00 pm to 12:00 pm: Hospitality Suite

Pictures: After-dinner Drinks

Saturday

7:30 am to 8:45 pm: Breakfast and AWSEF Annual Meeting

Picture: Room with a View

8:45 am to 6:00 pm: Exhibits

Pictures. Bérénice Lurton, Owner/ Winemaker, Château Climens in Bordeaux at the ombiasy WineTours Booth

Morning Sessions

The New Classification of German Wines: The VDP Classification - Annette Schiller, President of Ombiasy PR & Wine Tours

Pictures: The New Classification of German Wines: The VDP Classification - Annette Schiller, President of Ombiasy PR & Wine Tours

Pictures: Christian Schiller and Randall Grahm, Bonny Doon Vineyard

12:30 pm to 2:15 pm: Awards Luncheon

Picture: Bérénice Lurton, Owner/ Winemaker, Château Climens and Paul Wagner

Picture: Peter Mondavi Jr.

Afternoon Sessions

The Insider’s View of Charles Krug Winery - Peter Mondavi Jr., Co-Proprietor, Charles Krug Winery

Pictures: The Insider’s View of Charles Krug Winery - Peter Mondavi Jr., Co-Proprietor, Charles Krug Winery

Peter Mondavi Jr. introduced me to the wines of Charles Krug Winery at a tasting in Washington DC a few years ago: Morton’s Steakhouse Presented Peter Mondavi Jr. at a Charles Krug Winemaker Dinner

Château Climens, Premier Cru Barsac and Savory Dishes…who knew? - Bérénice Lurton, Owner of Château Climens & Tony Lawrence, Global Food & Wine Pairing Specialist

Pictures: Château Climens, Premier Cru Barsac and Savory Dishes…who knew? - Bérénice Lurton, Owner of Château Climens & Tony Lawrence, Global Food & Wine Pairing Specialist

We visited Bérénice Lurton, Owner/ Winemaker, Château Climens, on the 2015 ombiasy Tour to Bordeaux. See: Visiting and Tasting at Château Climens, with Owner Bérénice Lurton, Bordeaux, France  

7:30 pm to 9:30 pm: Grand Banquet

Pictures: Grand Banquet

10:00 pm to 12:00 pm: Music, Dancing and Hospitality Suite

Pictures: Dancing and More Wine

Pre- and Post-Conference: In Los Angeles

Pictures: Arriving in Los Angeles

Lunch at Noma in Malibu

Pictures: Lunch at Noma Malibu

Line Hotel in the Korean District in Los Angeles

Pictures: Rising Sun

Venice Beach and Santa Monica

Pictures: Venice Beach

Pictures: The Hotel California in Santa Monica

Los Angeles Downtown, Hollywood and Beverley Hills

Pictures: Downtown Los Angeles

Pictures: Hollywood

Picture: Beverly Hills Hotel

Departure

Picture: Los Angeles

schiller-wine - Related Postings

Heads up for the 2017 Tours - to Germany and France - by ombiasy WineTours

Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture and History

Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir

Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Steffen Christmann (Weingut A. Christmann) and Wilhelm Weil (Weingut Robert Weil) Presented the New Wine Classification of the VDP, Germany

Approaches to Classifying German Wine: The Standard Approach (the Law of 1971), the VDP Approach and the Zero Classification Approach

New Developments in German Wine - Annette Schiller at the German Wine Society in Philadelphia, USA

The German Winemakers at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA

The New Germany – Red, Dry, Sparkling: German Wine Society Tasting, led by Annette Schiller, at Restaurant Old Europe in Washington DC

Morton’s Steakhouse Presented Peter Mondavi Jr. at a Charles Krug Winemaker Dinner

Visiting and Tasting at Château Climens, with Owner Bérénice Lurton, Bordeaux, France 

Visit and Tasting at Winzergenossenschaft Mayschoss in Mayschoss, Ahr – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016

Dining with Prinz zur Lippe, Owner of Weingut Schloss Proschwitz, at the Lippe’sches Gutshaus - Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Rainer Schnaitmann at Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann in Fellbach, Württemberg – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Cellar Tour, Tasting and Dinner at Wein- und Sektgut F.B. Schönleber in Östrich-Winkel, Rheingau, with Ralph and Bernd Schönleber - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour, Tasting (and Lunch) with Robert Schätzle, Owner and Winemaker, Weingut Schloss Neuweier in Baden– Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2015)

Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Oetinger, Rheingau, with Achim von Oetinger– Germany-North 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Winning in Deidesheim, Pfalz– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Tasting at Weingut Uwe Lützkendorf, with Uwe Lützkendorf, in Bad Kösen, Saale-Unstrut – Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Post-Rieslingfeier and Pre-Big Glou Dinner with 3 Top Winemakers from Germany at BToo in Washington DC: Clemens Busch, Immich-Batterieberg and Koehler-Ruprecht, USA

Pictures: Jean-Michel Guillon - Good to see you again!

Jean­-Michel Guillon was born in Paris and a pilot with the French army. Nobody in his family was ever involved in wine. He always loved Burgundy wines and in 1980 he boarded a train to Burgundy, got off and stayed. He had no training or any qualifications in winemaking. He studied what the experienced masters in the region did and built up relationships that have led to acquisitions of vineyards. Through tireless work he built a domaine of 35 acres of vineyards in the finest sites, among them parcels in the 2 Grand Cru sites: Clos de Vougeot and Mazis-­Chambertin. In 2005 his son joined to work in the winery. Since 1990 the prominent French wine magazine Guide Hachette regularly selects the Guillon wines as top wines.

Pictures: Jean-Michel Guillon and his US importer Olivier Daubresse Opening the Bottles, with 2941 Restaurant Sommelier Ryan Jones

Jean-Michel Guillon was in town (Washington DC). Among the events that took place during his visit, the wine-pairing dinner at one of the best restaurants in the Washington DC area, 2941 Restaurant, clearly stood out. It was a joint effort of Jean-Michel Guillon, his US importer Olivier Daubresse, 2941 Restaurant Chef Betrand Chemel and Doug House, Owner of one of Northern Virginia‘s leading wine store, Chain Bridge Cellars.

Doug House - Invitation: Calling all fans of the best red Burgundy and profound Pinot Noir from anywhere in the world! Come join us for a sumptuous 6-course dinner at award-winning 2941 Restaurant as top Burgundy vigneron Jean-Michel Guillon presents white and red Burgundy from vintages 2007, 2011 and 2014.

Pictures: Doug House and his Wife, Annette Schiller and Jean-Michel Guillon

We’ve lauded Jean-Michel’s wines for years as not only majestic Pinot Noirs that impress from first sip, but also as wines that really sing with great food. This is your chance to discover that for yourself as we enjoy six brilliant Burgundies with an elegant tasting menu created by Chef Bertrand Chemel just for this event.

Jean-Michel is not only an outstanding winemaker, but also one of the 2 dozens or so we visited on our ombiasy wine tour to Burgundy and Champagne earlier this year. Jean-Michel, Annette and I, and some participants of the tour we very happy to meet again in Washington DC.

Domaine Guillon in Gevry-Chambertin

Doug House of Chain Bridge Cellars: Jean-Michel himself will be here in November - so we can wait to recount his journey from the French air force to puddle-jumpers in Tahiti to getting off a train in Burgundy with no experience or vineyards. Today he's been mayor of Gevrey-Chambertin, head of the Gevrey-Chambertin winery association, and consistently ranked as one of the most outstanding winegrowers in all of Burgundy's Cote de Nuits by people who really know what they're tasting and talking about. Nothing but the Best.

If you're new to Jean-Michel's work, here's what you need to know. Guillon and his son, Alexis, believe first and foremost in growing and harvesting perfect and perfectly ripe fruit. They tend their vineyards in Gevrey, Morey St Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Clos du Vougeot with meticulous, hands-on care. When other growers take vacation or their vineyard workers reach their maximum hours per week, Jean-Michel and Alexis put on their boots, fire up the tractor, and keep working.

Pictures: Lovely Wine-pairing Dinner

Their plots within Burgundy's great vineyards are easy to identify. Stand on a road or hill and look out at the vines; Jean-Michel's are the ones thriving as others wilt, carrying precisely the right number of bunches per vine for the site, vine and vintage, and have every imperfect bunch and wing pulled off and thrown away. In years where early harvesting is best, they are the vineyards loaded with sweet, juicy berries with brown stems and seeds ready to come off the vine on time. And, in years where more time is needed, they're the ones where the grapes can keep hanging as long as they have to, free of rot, mold or mildew.

What happens in the winery is hard work, too: The winemaking here is about a complete refusal to settle for anything other than the best. Only the very best fruit from each vineyard ever reaches the fermenter. And, when others turn their financial success into vacation homes and luxury cars, Jean-Michel digs a new cellar, buys a better press, adds a sorting table and - most of all - buys even better and better French oak barrels to help his wines mellow and mature. (OK - he's been known to buy a new Jeep or motorcycle too).

The Guillon Style: What are the wines like? Burgundy's most experienced insider critic, Alan Meadows (aka Burghound) used to say: "I would describe his wines as being among the best of the 'new world' school of Burgundy ... modern burgundies that retain a clear sense of style and grace. More importantly, ... they remain identifiably pinot noir rather than caricatures of the Rhone Valley. One thing that I have noticed over the last few vintages however is that the Guillon wines are becoming more classically styled, and in particular more structured, especially as the 1er and grand cru levels."

Pictures: Lovely Wine-pairing Dinner

I think that's fine as far as it goes. I'd say something like Jean-Michel Guillon makes wines that showcase what perfectly ripe (not overripe!) Pinot Noir has to say about some of the greatest vineyards of Burgundy. These vineyards have survived and thrived across centuries and earned recognition as some of the greatest in the world. Sophisticated? Certainly. Wimpy and thin? Nope.

Jean-Michel believes that Burgundy is about elegance and power, grace and strength, and that a great Burgundy should have something interesting, even profound, to say from barrel, on release, and for years to come. And, most of all, that great Burgundy is meant to be drunk with delight at table with people you care about and elevate any gathering of family, old friends, and friends to be.

How to think about Jean-Michel Guillon's 2014s? The vintage overall wanted to produce wines that have the ripe fruit and supple structures that make them easy to drink young. But the best sites and winegrowers also delivered the extraction, concentration, and structure to deserve - even need - time in cellar.

All of Jean-Michel's 2014s showcase the generous fruit and open structures needed for immediate appreciation - join us on Saturday and you'll find none are a chore to taste! And if you take home a bottle of Mazis-Chambertin on Saturday and open it Sunday, you'll have an impressive experience - although you'll have missed out on much of what this great, great wine has to say.

Visiting Jean Michel Gillon in Gevry-Chambertin

During the 2016 Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour of ombiasy WineTours, we again stopped at Domaine Gillon and enjoyed a wonderful tasting with Jean Michel.

Pictures: Visiting Jean-Michel Guillon in Gevry-Chambertin

Since the visit was towards the end of the tour, I have not yet posted on this great tasting, except in the overview posting about the whole tour. See: Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History

For an earlier visit, see: Tasting at Domaine Jean Michel Guillon in Gevrey-Chambertin with Jean Michel Guillon– Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

I am pretty sure that we will go back to see him on the forthcoming Burgundy tour in 2017. See:Heads up for the 2017 Tours - to Germany and France - by ombiasy WineTours

Pictures: Good to see you again!

2941 Restaurant and Chef Betrand Chemel

2941 Restaurant is perhaps the elite-level restaurant in this part of Northern Virginia, a regular “Top” selection by The Washington Post, Washingtonian Magazine, Zagat and more. It’s located at 2941 Fairview Park Dr, Falls Church, VA 22042, just inside the Beltway between Routes 29 and 50 and offers free valet parking.

Picture: 2941 Restaurant

An Auvergne (France) boy born-and-raised, Chef Bertrand Chemel spent time at various restaurants in Europe, including at Hotel du Rhône in Geneva, Switzerland, La Bastide St-Antoine in Grasse, France, and the Savoy Hotel in London, before moving to the US. Here, he began as a line cook in 1999 with Daniel Boulud in Manhattan and with a stop along the way as Laurent Tourondel's sous chef at Cello, he landed at Café Boulud in 2003, before taking over the kitchen of Restaurant 2941.

Pictures: Chef Bertrand Chemel, Jean-Michel Guillon and Annette and Christian Schiller

The Meal and Pairings


I added the regular bottle prices of Chain Bridge Cellars in paranthesis.

Passed Hors d’Oeuvre of Steamed mussels & 30 month aged Virginia prosciutto
Guillon Pinot Blanc 2014 (US$32)


Warm Sea Scallop In a Shell | hazelnut sea salt toffee, cremini mushroom & leek, lobster saffron émulsion
Guillon Santenay Les Bras Blanc 2007 (US$48)


Roasted French Quail | Swiss chard, Luxardo Maraschino, cubeb black pepper, quail jus
Guillon Fixin Les Crais 2014 (US$48)


Spiced Braised Duck Leg ”Cannelloni” | wild mushroom, celery root, turnip, duck sauce façon “Grand Veneur”
Guillon Grevrey Chambertin Père Galand 2011 (US$63)


Roasted Duck Breast | chestnut & spaghetti squash, duck jus
Guillon Grevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Les Champonnets 2011 (US$90)


Roasted Venison Loin | Petite cuillère d’Aligot, Savoy cabbage, jus d’Automne
Guillon Grand Cru Mazis-Chambertin 2011 (US$190)


Pinot Noir Poached Bartlet Pear | mascarpone sorbet, thyme


schiller-wine: Related Postings

Heads up for the 2017 Tours - to Germany and France - by ombiasy WineTours

Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History

Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Tasting at Domaine Jean Michel Guillon in Gevrey-Chambertin with Jean Michel Guillon– Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Announcement: Pinot Noir Tasting - Germany contra Rest of the World, led by Annette Schiller and Doug House, in Washington DC (McLean), USA, on October 4, 2015

Lunch at L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges, Paul Bocuse’s Iconic Restaurant in Collonges­ au­ Mont­ d’Or, France - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Walk, Cellar Walk and Tasting at Domaine Ferret in Fuissé, Poully­ Fuissé, Mâconnais, with Winemaker Audrey Braccini - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at Restaurant Le Mercurey in Mercurey - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

At Domaine Theulot­-Juillot in Mercurey, Côte Chalonnaise, with Nathalie Theulot - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour of Château de Rully and Tasting of Domaine du Château de Rully Wines, with Count Raoul de Ternay - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Michel Prunier & Fille in Auxey­ Duresses, Côte de Beaune - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Where Robert Parker likes to Eat: Lunch at La Crémaillère in Auxey-Duresses - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Walk in Meursault with Karoline Knoth - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Dinner at the 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Ed.Em in Chassagne Montrachet - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Olivier Leflaive in Puligny Montrachet: Vineyard Walk and Cellar Tour, with Olivier and Patrick Leflaive - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Lunch and Wine Tasting at La Table de Olivier in Puligny Montrachet with Olivier Leflaive – Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Visit: Hospices de Beaune– Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Lunch in a Typical French Brasserie: Le Carnot in Beaune - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting: Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune– Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne

Picture: Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland

Led by Annette Schiller, the Bordeaux Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours took place from September 6 to 15, 2016. The group comprised 14 wine lovers from the United States and Switzerland, including Annette and Christian Schiller.

I already provided an overview about the whole tour: Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

We toured Château Le Bon Pasteur and had a fabulous wine lunch at the estate. Dany Rolland and Benoit Prevot, General Manager and Winemaker, were our hosts for the tour and for the lunch. This posting covers our wine pairing lunch with Dany Rolland.

I already covered the tour of  Château Le Bon Pasteur with Dany Rolland and Benoit Prvot here: Tour with Dany Rolland: Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Château Le Bon Pasteur was acquired by the Rolland family around 1920. The grandson of the original owner, Michel Rolland, well known around the world as “flying winemaker” and wine consultant, and his wife Dany, a highly regarded oenologist in her own right, created a model vineyard and produce outstanding wines.The Rolland family recently sold the winery to a Chinese investor.

Picture: Great Selection of Wines

Change of Ownership

Château Le Bon Pasteur was acquired by the Rolland family around 1920. The grandson of the original owner, Michel Rolland, well known around the world as “flying winemaker” and wine consultant, and his wife Dany, also an oenologist, created a model vineyard and produce outstanding wines. Not so long ago, they sold it to Pan Sutong, a Hong Kong businessman and entrepreneur.

According to Forbes 2015 World Billionaire's list published in March 2015, Sutong was placed at number 153 with an estimated net worth of $8.6 billion. Pan Sutong is a wine lover. In 2011, his Goldin Group bought the Sloan Estate in the Napa Valley. The Sloan 2002 and 2007 vintages were awarded 100 points by Robert Parker.

In 2013, the Group purchased three châteaux in Bordeaux, namely Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol, Château Rolland-Maillet in Saint-Émilion and Château Bertineau St-Vincent in Lalande-de-Pomerol. As Goldin Financial’s long-term working partner, Michel Rolland facilitated this acquisition. Similar to Sloan, despite the transfer of ownership, nothing changed in terms of wine-making procedures and staff.

Picture: Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland

Pomerol

Pomerol is remarkable for being unremarkable. It is not a long-established area. There are no beautiful chateaux. There is no real town center, just roads connecting the lands and small, farmhouse style wineries. Pomerol has no classification system. With 800 hectares, it is a small area, with small domains. By contrast: The vineyards of St. Emilion cover more than 5000 hectares; the production of Petrus is just 10% of that of Lafite.

Nevertheless, Pomerol has managed to earn itself a place among the region's most-respected names. The list of the Pomerol’s best properties includes Le Pin, one of the precursors of the Garagistes style, Petrus and Lafleur, with all three of them regarded as "hors classe" growths, and: Eglise-Clinet, Trotanoy, Vieux-Château Certan, L´Evangile, Certan-de-May, La Fleur-Pétrus, Clinet, Bon Pasteur, Le Gay, Rouget, Clos l'Eglise, Nénin, Petit-Village, Lagrange and Gazin. Pomerol, with the wines of Chateau Petrus and Chateau Le Pen, now commands higher prices than those of the long-established Medoc.

Pomerol has the highest Merlot share in Bordeaux, with Merlot accounting for 80% and Cabernet Franc for the rest. Vines are old and yields are extremely low.

Over the centuries, Pomerol had always been in the shadow of Medoc, Graves and even St. Emilion. Only at the beginning of the 20th century, things changed when Belgians and primarily Dutchmen were more and more interested in the red Pomerol wines. It was not until the 1950s that British merchants woke up to the wines and began to import them into the UK.

Pictures: Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland

Château Le Bon Pasteur

Château Le Bon Pasteur was acquired by the Rolland family - Joseph and Hermine Dupuy - in 1920. The grandson of the original owner, Michel Rolland, well known around the world as “flying winemaker” and wine consultant, and his wife Dany, also an oenologist, created a model vineyard and produce outstanding wines. In May, 2013, Le Bon Pasteur (including the two affiliated properties) was sold to Sutong Pan, the first Asian investor to buy a truly legendary Pomerol estate. Dany and Michel Rolland continue to manage the estate and make the wine.

In the beginning, the owners grew the grapes, but sold the harvest in bulk to negociants. The Dupony family later passed Le Bon Pasteur on to their children, Serge and Geneviève Rolland. In 1978, the Rolland family continued the tradition and gave Chateau Le Bon Pasteur to their children Michel and Jean-Daniel Rolland. This gave birth to the modern era for Le Bon Pasteur and the start of the career for Michel Rolland.

The property Le Bon Pasteur originally consisted of vineyards in the three communes of Pomerol, Saint-Émilion and Néac, the last one in the appellation Lalande-de-Pomerol. Originally all three wines were called Le Bon Pasteur, with the respective appellation indicated. From 1978, the wine from Saint-Émilion has been called Château Rolland-Maillet and that from Lalande-de-Pomerol called Château Bertineau Saint-Vincent. They are all produced at Le Bon Pasteur.

Le Bon Pasteur consists of 7 hectares with 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Production averages 2,500 cases.

Starting with the 2010 vintage, the grapes are fermented in barrel, with the barrels being regularly turned during the maceration period. Also, in 2010, Michel and Dany Rolland started to include about 1/3 whole clusters in the fermentation. The wines are aged for 15 to 18 months in 100% new French oak barrels and then bottled without fining and filtering.

The closest neighbor is Château l’Evangile, and possibly some parts of the next neighbor Château La Conseillante are also visible.

Pictures: In the Vineyards of Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol with Dany Rolland. See: Tour with Dany Rolland: Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Michel and Dany Rolland

Michel Rolland grew up on Château Le Bon Pasteur. He studied at the prestigious Bordeaux Oenology Institute, where he met his wife and fellow oenologist, Dany Rolland, and graduated as part of the class of 1972. In 1973, Michel Rolland and his wife bought into an oenology lab in Libourne. They took over full control of the lab in 1976 and expanded it to include tasting rooms. Michel and Dany Rolland's two daughters, Stéphanie and Marie, also work at the lab.

After having sold Château Le Bon Pasteur, Château Bertineau Saint-Vincent in Lalande de Pomerol and Château Rolland-Maillet in Saint-Émilion, the Rollands still own several properties in Bordeaux, including Château Fontenil in Fronsac, and Château La Grande Clotte in Lussac-Saint-Émilion. In addition, they are joint venture partnerships with Bonne Nouvelle in South Africa, Val de Flores in Argentina, Campo Eliseo in Spain and Yacochuya and Clos de los Siete in Argentina.

In addition, Michel Rolland consults for many pasting lunchroducers in Bordeaux, in Argentina, South Africa (Simonsberg Stellenbosch), and Spain (Toro).

Wine Tasting Lunch

Following the tour, we had a fun wine tasting lunch with Dany Rolland and Benoit Prevot.

King prawn rolled bacon
Toast os smoked salmon
Toast od foie gras
Gougères
Mariflor Sauvignon blanc 2014 (US$21)


Lobster casserole with ceps
Château La Grande Clotte 2012 (US$13)
Château La Grande Clotte 2015 (US$13)


Veal Filet Mignon with French ceps, green beans and new potatoes
Château Fontenil 2010 (US$30)
Château Le Bon Pasteuer 2009 (US$86)


Dark chocolate mousse and red fruits
Val de Flores 2008 (US$42)
Yacochuya 2008 (US$49)


Coffee with cannelés


Postings on the Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France (Posted and Forthcoming)

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

Bordeaux Wines and their Classifications: The Basics

Bordeaux - En Primeur, Negociants, Courtiers, the Quai de Chartons and the Place de Bordeaux– A Short Introduction

How Does the Negociant System in Bordeaux Work? Tour and Tasting at Millésima - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour and Tasting from Barrel at Domaine de Chevalier, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Adrien Bernard - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Dinner with a View: At Restaurant L’Estacade in Bordeaux City - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France

Schiller's Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France

The Wine Empire of the von Neipperg Family in France, Bulgaria and Germany

Tour and Tasting at Château Canon La Gaffelière, Appellation Saint-Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour and Wine Pairing Lunch at Château Beauséjour, Appellation Puisseguin Saint-Emilion, with Owner/ Winemaker Gérard Dupuis - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Figeac, Premier Grand Cru Classé B, in Saint-Émilion– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Beauregard, Appellation Pomerol– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour with Dany Rolland: Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Wine Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland

Tasting were it all Started: At the "Garage" of Jean-Luc Thunevin, Owner and Winermaker of Château Valandraud, Premier Grand Cru Classé since 2012

Tour and Tasting at Château de Fargues, Sauternes, with Prince Eudes d’Orléans

Wine Pairing Lunch at the 1-star Michelin Restaurant Claude Darozze, with Marie-Hélène Lévêque, Owner of Châteaux Chantegrive

Tour of Château de Chantegrive, Appellation Grave

Tour and Tasting at Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte, Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé.

Wine Pairing Lunch at the 2-star Michelin Restaurant La Grande Vigne (at Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte)

Tour of the new Musee du Vin in Bordeaux City

Seafood lunch at Pinasse Cafe in Cap Ferret

Tour of the Earl Ostrea Chanca Oyster Farm and Oyster Tasting in Grand-Piquey, with Oyster Farmer Ralph Doerfler

The 5 Premiers Grands Crus Chateaux en 1855 of Bordeaux, France

What is a Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois? France

Tourt and tasting at Château Palmer, Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Pauillac, 2ième Grand Cru Classé

Wine Lunch at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Pauillac, 2ième Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe, 4ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Michel Tesseron

At the Invitation of Owner Michel Tesseron: Private Dinner at Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe, 4ième Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc

How a Barrel is Made: Visit of the Cooperage Berger & Fils in Vertheuil

Lunch were the Locals eat: At Le Peyrat in Saint-Estèphe in Saint Estephe

Tour and Tasting at Château Léoville Poyferré, Saint-Julien, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, with Anne Cuvelier

Tour and Tasting at Château Margaux, Appellation Margaux, 1ière Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Kirwan, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Nathalie Schyler

Picnic Lunch at Château Kirwan, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Nathalie Schyler

Tour and Wine Dinner at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Daina Paulin  

Picture: Tasting with Hanno Zilliken - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir

The new Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland – for 2017 – was published earlier this month. It reviews on about 1000 pages more than 11.500 wines of 1000 wineries. Its rating symbol is a grape and Germany’s best winemakers are awarded one to five grapes.

Ever since 1994, the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland has honored outstanding personalities of the German wine world and special wines. This year, unfortunately I was unable to participate in the book release event in Mainz, Germany, where Editor-in-Chief Joel B. Payne and his team of reviewers presented the awards.

In addition to this posting, I will also post about the following:

Promotions in the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2017
Germany’s Top Winemakers (With 5/5 Grapes) - Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2017
Winemaker of the Year - Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2017: Hans-Joachim Zilliken and Dorothee Zilliken, Weingut Zilliken
Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2017 Awards

AWARDS

Winemaker of the Year: Hans-Joachim Zilliken and Dorothee Zilliken, Weingut Zilliken

Mosel
11 hectares
5/5 Grapes Gault Millau
VDP

Hanno Zilliken is a living legend in the Saar. Taking over the estate with the baroque, botrytis-inflected 1976 vintage, the wines of Zilliken have epitomized the lightness and elegance of Saar Riesling for well over 30 years. The 1983s are masterpieces of this complex vintage, the 1990s and 1997s remain young and fresh. There are many who feel the 2005 vintage marked Hanno’s crowning achievement; this is a legendary collection. Yet, the best of Zilliken may still be to come; Hanno’s daughter, Dorothee, has been working with her father since 2007 and is in a great position to continue the estate.

Joel B. Payne: An impressive cellar with nearly 100 percent humidity, perfectly maintained wooden barrels, in which the most brilliant of all Saar wines are made. Hanno Zilliken, assisted by his daughter Dorothee, produces sleek, radiantly clear Rieslings from the wines in the liter bottle to his noble sweet gems. His wines are truly timeless, far from any fashion!

We visited Weingut Zilliken earlier this year on the Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours. See: Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir

Pictures: At Weingut Zilliken with Hans-Joachim and Dorothee Zilliken

Collection of the Year: Weingut Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan

Pfalz
50 hectares
4/5 Grapes Gault Millau
VDP

Joel B. Payne: We were incredibly surprised by the recent development at this prestigious winery. Kellermeister Ulrich Mell had already pointed out a new direction with the previous year, but with the 2015 he probably produced the best vintage of his life. This applies both to the ultra-premium dry GG wines and the outstanding noble-sweet wines.

We visited Weingut Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan on the Germany-South Tour 2014 by ombiasy WineTours. See: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan in Deidesheim with General Manager Gunther Hauck – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Pictures: At Weingut Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan

Rising Star of the Year: Weingut Jakob Schneider

Nahe
20 hectares
4/5 Grapes Gault Millau

Joel B. Payne: Since Jakob Schneider jun joined the winery of his parents in the Nahe region, the winery is moving one success to another. A number of the best Nahe vineyards and 52 different rock formations form the basis for the wonderfully expressive wines of the winery. From the simplest wine to the breathtaking ultra-premium wines, every wine has a touch of flavor, spiciness and juiciness. All this at very fair prices.

Discovery of the Year : Julia Bertram, Weingut Bertram

Ahr
2 hectares
0/5 Grapes Gault Millau

Joel B. Payne: Julia Bertram, born in 1989, was the German Wine Queen a few years ago. She now shows with her own vineyard that she knows not only theory, but can also make great wine. 2013 was her first vintage with a small production. And already with the next vintage she shows her huge talent.

I know Julia Betram very well from teh days when she was German Wine Queen. See: The 31-Days-of-German-Riesling Concert Cruise Around New York Harbor with the German Wine Queen Julia Bertram and the 3 Wine Amazones Tina Huff, Eva Vollmer and Mirjam Schneider from Mainz, Germany

Pictures: Passing by the Lower East Side, with Annette Schiller, Christian Schiller and Julia Bertram

Sommelier of the Year: Marco Franzelin, Vendôme in Bergisch Gladbach

BEST WINES

Best Winzersekt Brut: 2005 Blanc et Noir, Sekthaus Raumland (Rheinhessen)

Best Spätburgunder: 2014 »RdP«, Weingut Knipser (Pfalz)

Best Weißer Burgunder (Pinot Blanc): 2015 Chardonnay »R«, Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz (Pfalz)

We visited Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz on the Germany-South Tour 2014 by ombiasy WineTours. See: Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Picture: The Table of Hannsjörg Rebholz, Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz, Pfalz, with Annette Schiller, David Schildknecht and Hannsjörg Rebholz, at the Rieslingfeier 2016 in New York

Best Dry Silvaner: 2015 Rothlauf Großes Gewächs, Weingut Rudolf May (Franken)

Best Dry Riesling: 2015 Morstein »Großes Gewächs«, Weingut Keller (Rheinhessen)

Best Riesling feinherb: 2015 Domprobst Alte Reben, Weingut Selbach-Oster (Mosel)

We visited Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz on the Germany-North Tour 2014 by ombiasy WineTours. See: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Mosel, with Johannes Selbach – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Picture: Wine Tasting at Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Mosel, with Johannes Selbach

Best Riesling Kabinett: 2015 Saarburger Rausch, Dorothee Zilliken (Saar)

Best Riesling Spätlese: 2015 Trittenheimer Apotheke Alte Reben, Franz Josef Eifel (Mosel)

Best Riesling Auslese: 2015 Saarburger Rausch Goldkapsel –4–, Dorothee Zilliken (Saar)

Best Nobelsweet Riesling: 2015 Pettenthal TBA lange Goldkapsel, Weingut Keller (Rheinhessen)

schiller-wine - Related Postings

Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir

Heads up for the 2017 Tours - to Germany and France - by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan in Deidesheim with General Manager Gunther Hauck – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

The 31-Days-of-German-Riesling Concert Cruise Around New York Harbor with the German Wine Queen Julia Bertram and the 3 Wine Amazones Tina Huff, Eva Vollmer and Mirjam Schneider from Mainz, Germany

Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Mosel, with Johannes Selbach – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Picture: Annette Schiller and Maurice Marle

This wine bar, wine shop, restaurant, and guest house is kind of unique. The co-owner Maurice Marle is a character and gives the place a very special ambiance. On top of it. he is a dictionary when it comes to Burgundy wines.

Maurice is a champion of natural wine. Sue Dyson and Roger McShane: Les Vins de Maurice has become a gathering place for lovers of natural wine in Beaune, the strategically-placed town in the centre of Burgundy. We first heard about it from Alice Feiring, who in turn had learned about it from Fanny Sabre, the young Burgundian winemaker.

Maurice guided us through a tasting explaining the terroir and character of the wines. This was lots of fun and at the same time a very educational evening.

Les Vins de Maurice
8 rue Fraisse

Pictures: At La Maison de Maurice with Maurice Marle at an Earlier Occasion

Different Concepts of “Green” Winemaking

Organic

Organic generally means the use of natural as opposed to chemical fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides. The key is: no chemicals. Organic wines are changing the look of vineyards, literally. Whereas vineyards of the past commanded neat rows rid of all insects, rodents and weeds, organic vineyards are now replacing costly and damaging chemical sprays with environmental partnerships. Pesticides are giving way to introducing low-growing plants between vine rows that host beneficial insects that keep the pest insects in check.

Unfortunately, while there is a broad consensus what organic vine growing means, there is no agreement on what organic wine making implies. The main issue is the use of sulfur in the fermentation process and the disagreement is between the US and Europe. In the US, organic winemakers are not allowed to add sulfites during winemaking; an organic wine is a wine with no added sulfur. In Europe, sulfites are allowed to be added during fermentation and an organic wine typically contains a modest amount of sulfur.

Sulfites are generally considered a required addition to a fine wine before bottling for two reasons: to prevent oxidation and prevent bacteria from running wild. This is a time-honored process. The Romans practiced it over 2,000 years ago. So, as a rule all wines produced in the world have been stabilized by adding sulfur, with a few exceptions. One of these exceptions are organic wines made in the US, such as the wine of Frey Vineyards in Mendocino County in California. Frey Vineyards uses other, innovative methods to stabilize wine, which others would consider outside of “green” winemaking.

Alternatively, in the US, wine made from organically grown grapes is an organic wine a la Europe: Organic in the vineyard, but probably sulfur added in the wine cellar.

Picture: The Wines Maurice Poured

Biodynamic

Biodynamic is similar to organic farming in that both take place without chemicals, but biodynamic farming incorporates ideas about a vineyard as an ecosystem, and also accounting for things such as astrological influences and lunar cycles. Biodynamic is an approach following the rules and ideas of Austrian philosopher-scientist Rudolph Steiner. In his 1924 lectures, he viewed the farm as a closed circuit. Thus, farm animals are an integral part of biodynamic winemaking; they should consume the cover crops left between vines and their waste should be then replaced between those vines to rebuild the soil.

Pictures: Finger Food

Sustainable

Sustainable farming means farming in a way that will allow for continued farming throughout the ages. In its broadest interpretation, sustainability refers to a range of practices that are not only ecologically sound, but also economically viable and socially responsible. Although nowhere defined by law, there are many certifications available for “Sustainable Wine.”

Natural

The idea behind natural wine is non-intervention and a respect for Mother Nature. Natural wines are hands-off wines produced with as little intervention as possible. Generally, the concept of natural wine relates more to what happens in the wine cellar rather than what happens in the vineyard. Again, nowhere is the term defined by law; it is left open to interpretation. Typically, only natural yeasts are used, the fermentation is slow, there is little or no use of new oak barrels; and there are no filtrations or cold stabilization. Commercial yeasts are one of the great culprits in today’s homogenization of wine, imparting their own aromas over those of the grape.

Carbon Footprint

The carbon neutral label comes from a different angle: global warming. All economic activities have a carbon footprint, including wine making. Carbon neutral wineries are trying to make a contribution to the general efforts of reducing the emission of carbon dioxide. Belgrave Park Winery in Australia, for example, is a completely carbon neutral vineyard and winery. But the concept of cabon footprint should not stop at the gate of the winery. Researchers have found out, for example, that from a point of view of minimizing the carbon footprint, New Yorkers should drink Bordeaux instead of domestic wine from California.

Pictures: Tasting with Maurice

Water Footprint

A new thing is water footprint, reflecting the concern that the planet is moving into a period where water becomes more and more scarce.

Vegan

Vegan refers to the process of fining the wine - eliminating undesirable items - with fining agents made from animal products, such as fish bladders and egg whites. As an alternative, Bentonite, a specific type of clay, is used for clarification in vegan wines.

Postings: Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours:From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History (Published and Forthcoming Postings)

Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History

Dinner at a Bouchon - Chez Paul - in Lyon: Schiller’s Favorite Bouchons in Lyon, France

Introduction to the Burgundy Wine Region at Antic Wine in Lyon with Flying Sommelier Georges Dos Santos - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges, Paul Bocuse’s Iconic Restaurant in Collonges­ au­ Mont­ d’Or, France - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

In the Most Prestigious AOC in the Mâconnais: Pouilly-Fuissé, France

Vineyard Walk, Cellar Walk and Tasting at Domaine Ferret in Fuissé, Poully­ Fuissé, Mâconnais, with Winemaker Audrey Braccini - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting at Domaine Georges Descombes in Vermont, Villié­-Morgon, Beaujolais - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at Restaurant Le Mercurey in Mercurey - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

At Domaine Theulot­-Juillot in Mercurey, Côte Chalonnaise, with Nathalie Theulot - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour of Château de Rully and Tasting of Domaine du Château de Rully Wines, with Count Raoul de Ternay - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Michel Prunier & Fille in Auxey­ Duresses, Côte de Beaune - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Where Robert Parker likes to Eat: Lunch at La Crémaillère in Auxey-Duresses - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Walk in Meursault with Karoline Knoth - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Dinner at the 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Ed.Em in Chassagne Montrachet - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Olivier Leflaive in Puligny Montrachet: Vineyard Walk and Cellar Tour, with Olivier and Patrick Leflaive - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Lunch and Wine Tasting at La Table de Olivier in Puligny Montrachet with Olivier Leflaive – Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Visit: Hospices de Beaune– Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Lunch in a Typical French Brasserie: Le Carnot in Beaune - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting: Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune– Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne

An American Making Ultra-Premium Wines in Burgundy: Visit and Tasting at Domaine Dublère in Savigny­ lès­ Beaune, with Owner/ Winemaker Blair Pethel - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Charcuterie and Cheese Paired with 12 Burgundy Wines at La Maison de Maurice in Beaune with Maurice Marle

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Faiveley in Nuits-­Saint­-George, Côte de Nuits

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Jean­-Jacques Confuron in Prémeaux­-Prissey Côte de Nuits with Louis Meunier

Lunch at Restaurant La Cabotte in Nuits-­Saint-­George

Visit and Tasting at Domaine Thibault Liger­-Belair in Nuits­-Saint­-George with Thibault Liger-­Belair

Visit of Château du Clos de Vougeot

Where the Most Expensive Red Wines Come from: Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Anne Gros in Vosne­-Romanée, Côte de Nuits

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Guillon & Fils in Gevrey­-Chambertin, Côte de Nuits, with Jean-Michel Guillon

An Institution: Lunch at Restaurant Chez Guy in Gevrey­-Chambertin

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Armelle et Bernhard Rion in Vosne­-Romanée, Côte de Nuits, with Alice Rion

Tour at the Fontenay Abbey (Bernard de Clairveau), Montbard

Wine Pairing Lunch, Cellar Visit, Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Domaine Jean­ Marc Brocard in Préhy, Chablis

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and other Wine Venues in Chablis, France

Champagne– An Introduction, France

French Champagne Houses and German Roots 

Visit and Tasting at the Grower Champagne House Champagne Jean Josselin in Gyé­ sur ­Seine, Champagne, with Jean Pierre Josselin, his Wife and Sharona Tsubota

Cellar Visit and Tasting at the Champagner House AR Lenoble in Epernay, Champagne, with Export Manager Christian Holthausen

Cellar Visit and Tasting at the Champagner House Taittinger in Reims, Champagne

Lunch at Brasserie Flo in Reims

Picture: A Riesling Feast in an Historic Setting: Riesling Gala 2016 at Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau, Germany

If you are a fan of Riesling – fruity sweet, noble sweet and dry - and like good food, and have not yet been to one of the 26 Riesling Gala events at Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau, you should mark your calendar and make an early reservation for the next Riesling Gala in November 2017. Tickets are for a bit more than Euro 200 and available from the VDP Rheingau and its participating members. What you will get is an amazing event in a breathtaking historic setting that starts at 11 am with a reception, goes on with a 6 course seated luncheon until 6 pm and ends with an after-party with more wine, also at the historic Kloster Eberbach.

See also:
Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau: Tour and Wine Tasting - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

All of the pictures in this posting are mine, with the exclusions of a few pictures I took from the facebook pages of Guiseppe Lauria, Weingut Robert Weil, Weingut Leitz, Weingut Dr. Loosen, Weingut Robert Weil and Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn.

For last years' Riesling Gala, see here:
Riesling Gala 2015 at Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau, Germany
Riesling Gala 2014 at Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau, Germany
Rheingau Riesling Gala 2013 at Kloster Eberbach, Germany

Glorious Rheingau Days

The Rheingau Riesling Gala is the grand finale and the highlight of the Glorious Rheingau Days, an annual celebration of the Rheingau Riesling, this year for the 29th times. Over 10 days or so, VDP members of the Rheingau present their wines at winemaker dinners and similar events at the Rheingau’s top restaurants or other interesting places.

The Rheingau Riesling Gala takes place in the Laiendormitorium of Kloster Eberbach. It is a culinary and social event in which wine enthusiasts meet in the historic setting of the Laiendormitorium of Kloster Eberbach (the largest room of the Romanesque period north of the Alps) in order to celebrate the noblest of all grapes, the Riesling.

Pictures: Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau

From 11 am to 6 pm, VDP producers of the Rheingau, their guest winemakers from other regions and their 600 guests enjoyed a 6 courses dinner, each course prepared by a different top chef, almost all of them Michelin-starred.

The wines served differed, depending on who was hosting you and who his or her guest winemaker was. This year, my wife Annette and I were the guests of Wilhelm Weil, whose guest winemaker was Ernst Loosen from the Mosel. So, we enjoyed the superb wines of Weingut Robert Weil and Weingut Dr. Loosen. Please note that Robert Weil wines are part of the portfolio of Loosen Bros. USA, the US wine import company of Ernst and Thomas Loosen.

The Rheingau

It is remarkable: For its entire length of nearly 560 miles, the Rhine flows north with one exception – a 28-mile stretch where the river changes its course. Here, it flows to the west, thereby enabling both the river and the vineyards facing it to bask in the warmth of the sun all day long. This is the Rheingau, one of the medium-size German wine regions. It is a quietly beautiful region, rich in tradition. Queen Victoria's enthusiasm for Hochheim's wines contributed to their popularity in England, where they, and ultimately, Rhine wines in general, were referred to as Hock.

 Picture: The Rheingau

The third President of the USA - and notable bon viveur - Thomas Jefferson visited the Rheingau in 1788 and wrote that the wine of the "Abbaye of Johnsberg is the best made on the Rhine without comparison … That of the year 1775 is the best." He also referred to the Rheingau’s Riesling as the "small and delicate Rhysslin which grows only from Hochheim to Rudesheim". Impressed by the quality of the Rheingau Riesling wines, he bought 100 grapevines to take back to his estate in Virginia.

The Rheingau enjoys a distinctly continental climate with cold winters and warm, but not hot, summers. The Rheingau is dominated by Riesling, accounting for 4/5 of the vineyard area. Wilhelm Weil, our host, produces only Riesling wines.

See also:
VDP.Rheingau Rhine River Boat Trip with Pre-release Presentation of the 2015 Grosses Gewächs (GG) Wines
The Rheingau and its Terroirs: Tasting with Rheingau’s Elite Winemakers, Germany
Extraordinary Views of the Rheingau Vineyards - A Spectecular Helicopter Flight over the Rheingau with Rheingau Winemakers, Germany

Reception

The event started with an outside reception, where Rheingau Charta Rieslings were served.

Pictures: Riesling Gala 2016 Reception

Pictures: Hello - Peter-Jakob Kühn, Gault Millau Winemaker of the Year 2016 and his Wife

Pictures: Hello - Weingut Balthasar Ress's Stephan Ress

Gala Luncheon

6 courses in 6 hours, i.e. every hour one course with 2 wines, from Weingut Weil and Weingut Dr. Loosen at our table.

Pictures: Rheingau Riesling Gala 2016

After each course, you had a bit of time to walk around, talk with other guests and try the wines of other winemakers:

Weingut Diefenhardt/ Weingut Georg Breuer
Weingut Allendorf/ Weingut Horst Sauer (Franken)
Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn/ Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier (Rheinhessen)/ Weingut Kühling-Gillot (Rheinhessen)
Weingut Lang - Urban Kaufmann/ Weingut Aldinger (Württemberg)
Weingut Balthasar Ress/ Weingut Achim von Oetinger/ Weingut von Othegraven (Mosel)
Weingut Georg Müller Stiftung/ Weingut von Hövel (Mosel)
Weingut Leitz/ Weingut Jakob Jung/ Weingut Dönnhoff (Nahe)
Weingut Barth/ Weingut Emrich-Schönleber (Nahe)
Weingut Schloss Vollrads/ Bischöfliches Weingut Trier (Mosel)
Weingut Johannishof/ Weingut Ruck (Franken)
Weingut Johannisberg/ Weingut G.H. von Mumm/ Weingut Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt (Mosel)
Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach/ Weingut Schloss Wackerberg (Sachsen)

Pictures: Rheingau Riesling Gala 2016

Welcome Greetings by Wilhelm Weil, Weingut Robert Weil

Wilhelm Weil, Weingut Robert Weil and President of the VDP Rheingau, welcomed the guests, with all participating winemakers and the Rheingau Wine Queens.

Pictures: Rheingau Riesling Gala 2016 - Welcome

Starter

Picture: Starter

Table Weingut Robert Weil/ Weingut Dr. Loosen (Mosel)

Pictures: Table Weingut Robert Weil/ Weingut Dr. Loosen

Pictures: Bye-bye and thank you very much Ernie

First Course

Marinierte Gänseleber mit Zwetschge und Brioche

Pictures: Marinierte Gänseleber mit Zwetschge und Brioche

Chef Jens Fischer, Restaurant Jungborn (1 Michelin Star)

Pictures: Chef Jens Fischer

2006 Weingut Robert Weil Gräfenberg Riesling Spätlese VDP.Grosse Lage
1990 Weingut Dr. Loosen Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Sekt Brut

Pictures: The Wines

Table Weingut Leitz/ Weingut Jakob Jung/ Weingut Dönnhoff (Nahe)

Josi Leitz, Alex Jung and Anne Dönnhoff had 10 prominent winemakers from Germany and Austria as special guests had their table, who also showed their wines: Markus Schneider from Weingut Markus Schneider (Pfalz), Kilian Franzen from Weingut Franzen (Mosel), Philipp Wittmann from Weingut Wittmann (Rheinhessen), Jochen Dreissigacker from Weingut Dreissigacker (Rheinhessen), Friedrich Becker Jr. from Weingut Becker (Pfalz), Urban Stagard from Weingut Stagard (Austria), Brandy Producer Hans Reisetbauer (Austria), Walter Glatzer from Weingut Glatzer (Austria).

Pictures: Table Weingut Leitz/ Weingut Jakob Jung/ Weingut Dönnhoff (Nahe)

Pictures: Annette Schiller, Christian Schiller, Markus Schneider

Pictures: Brandy Producer Hans Reisetbauer (Austria) and Walter Glatzer from Weingut Glatzer (Austria)

Pictures: Annette Schiller, Christian Schiller with Friedrich Becker Jr. from Weingut Becker (Pfalz)

Second Course

Gaeng Daeng phuu - Norwegische Königskrabbe mit Chili und Lemongras-Curry, frischem grünen Pfeffer, Bitter-Aubergine, Mungobohnenchip und weissem Currypulver

Picture: Gaeng Daeng phuu - Norwegische Königskrabbe mit Chili und Lemongras-Curry, frischem grünen Pfeffer, Bitter-Aubergine, Mungobohnenchip und weissem Currypulver

Chef Terje Ommundson, Plah Restaurant in Norway

Pictures: Chef Terje Ommundson, Plah Restaurant in Norway

2002 Weingut Robert Weil Riesling Spätlese VDP.Gutswein
1998 Weingut Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese VDP.Grosse Lage

Pictures: The Wines

Table Weingut Lang - Urban Kaufmann/ Weingut Aldinger (Württemberg)

Pictures: Eva Raps, Urban Kaufmann, Gert Aldinger, Annette Schiller

Table Weingut Georg Müller Stiftung/ Weingut von Hövel (Mosel)

Pictures: Max von Kunow, Owner/ Winemaker, Weingut von Hövel and Peter Winter, Owner, Weingut Georg Müller Stiftung

Table Weingut Balthasar Ress/ Weingut Achim von Oetinger/ Weingut von Othegraven

Pictures: Annette Schiller, Christian Ress, Gunther Jauch

Pictures: Dirk Würtz, Technical Director, Weingut Balthasar Ress, Achim von Oetinger, Owner and Winemaker, Weingut Achim von Oetinger, with his Wife and Annette Schiller

Third Course

Kalbsbries mit Kopf und Karotte

Picture: Kalbsbries mit Kopf und Karotte

Chef Hans Stefan Steinheuer, Zur Alten Post, 2 Michelin Stars

Pictures: Chef Hans Stefan Steinheuer, Zur Alten Post, 2 Michelin Stars

2013 Weingut Robert Weil Kiedricher Turmberg Riesling
2013 Weingut Dr. Loosen Erdener Riesling Trocken GG

Pictures: The Wines

Table Allendorf/ Weingut Horst Sauer (Franken)

Pictures: Horst Sauer, Max Schönleber, Owner/ Winemaker, Weingut Allendorf and Annette Schiller

Fourth Course

Gebratener Cobia Peperoni - Vinaigrette Brunnenkresse - Miso - Sojaschaum

Picture: Gebratener Cobia Peperoni - Vinaigrette Brunnenkresse - Miso - Sojaschaum

Chef Niels Henkel (Previously 2 Michelin Stars)

Pictures: Nils Henkel

2012 Weingut Robert Weil Gräfenberg Kiedrich Riesling Trocken GG
2012 Weingut Dr. Loosen Himmelreich Graach Riesling GG

Pictures: The Wines

Table Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn/ Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier (Rheinhessen)/ Weingut Kühling-Gillot (Rheinhessen)

Pictures: Table Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn/ Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier (Rheinhessen)/ Weingut Kühling-Gillot (Rheinhessen)

Fifth Course

Rücken vom Soonwald Reh auf Penannuss, Selleriepüree, Quarkschnitte

Picture: Rücken vom Soonwald Reh auf Penannuss, Selleriepüree, Quarkschnitte

Chef Philipp Stein, Favorite (1 Michelin Star)

Pictures: Chef Philipp Stein, Favorite, 1 Michelin Star

2011 Weingut Robert Weil Gräfenberg Riesling Trocken
2011 Weingut Dr. Loosen Prälat Riesling Trocken GG Reserve

Pictures: The Wines

Table Weingut Diefenhardt/ Weingut Georg Breuer

Pictures: Theresa Breuer and Guiseppe Lauria (Editor-in-Chief of Weinwisser)

Pictures: Peter Seyfard, Weingut Diefenhardt, with the Major of Fankfurt, Peter Feldmann and his Family

Table Weingut Schloss Vollrads/ Bischöfliches WeingutTrier

Picture: Christian Schiller and Roland Hepp, Managing Director, Weingut Schloss Vollrads

Sixth Course

Frankfurter Grüne Sosse mit Ei (erlikör)

Picture: Frankfurter Grüne Sosse mit Ei (erlikör)

Chef Matthias Schmidt, Villa Merton (2 Michelin Stars)

Pictures: Chef Matthias Schmidt, Villa Merton, 2 Michelin Stars

2009 Weingut Robert Weil Kiedricher Turmberg Riesling Auslese
1989 Weingut Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese

Pictures: The Wines

Table Weingut Barth/ Weingut Emrich-Schönleber (Nahe)

Pictures: Table Weingut Barth/ Weingut Emrich-Schönleber (Nahe) with Chef Josef Lafer Jun., Zum Krug, Hattenheim

Table Weingut Schloss Johannisberg/ Weingut G.H. von Mumm/ Weingut Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt (Mosel)

Picture: Table Weingut Johannisberg/ Weingut G.H. von Mumm/ Weingut Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt (Mosel)

Closing Ceremony

At the end of the luncheon, the chefs came to the stage again with their teams.

Pictures: Closing Ceremony

After-Party

The event ended with an after party, where one could taste all the wines that were poured during the luncheon … but also could go for a draft beer. I finsihed the 2016 Riesling Gala with a Curry Wurst.

Pictures: After Party

Picture: Curry Wurst

schiller-wine - Related Postings

Heads up for the 2017 Tours - to Germany and France - by ombiasy WineTours

Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture and History

Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir

Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

VDP.Rheingau Rhine River Boat Trip with Pre-release Presentation of the 2015 Grosses Gewächs (GG) Wines

The Rheingau and its Terroirs: Tasting with Rheingau’s Elite Winemakers, Germany

Extraordinary Views of the Rheingau Vineyards - A Spectecular Helicopter Flight over the Rheingau with Rheingau Winemakers, Germany

Tour and Wine Tasting with Lunch, with Mark Barth at Wein- und Sektgut Barth in Hattenheim, Rheingau– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau: Tour and Wine Tasting - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Lighting and the Flavor of Wine - With Winemaker Ulrich Allendorf in his Aroma Vineyard and Color Room at Weingut Allendorf in Oestrich Winkel, Rheingau, Germany

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Leitz in Rüdesheim, with Johannes Leitz – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut August Kesseler in Assmanshausen, with Winemaker Simon Batarseh – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

At Weingut Balthasar Ress in Hattenheim, Rheingau, during the 2015 Harvest with Winemaker Dirk Würtz, Germany

Tour and Tasting at Schloss Johannisberg, Rheingau, with Christian Witte, Domaine Director– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Oetinger, Rheingau, with Achim von Oetinger– Germany-North 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Künstler– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Kiedrich: Visit of the Basilica of Saint Valentine and of Weingut Robert Weil - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

One of the Bio-dynamic Stars in Germany: Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn in Östrich, Winkel– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Impromptu Winetasting with Alexander Jung, Weingut Jakob Jung, Erbach, Rheingau, Germany

Cellar Tour, Tasting and Dinner at Wein- und Sektgut F.B. Schönleber in Östrich-Winkel, Rheingau, with Ralph and Bernd Schönleber - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Picture: Tasting at the Legendary Weingut J.J. Prüm with Amrei Prüm – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016

We had an extaordinary tasting at Weingut Joh. Jos. Prüm. Weingut Joh. Jos. Prüm is without doubt one of the most exceptional producers of wine in Germany. Although the Prüm family was well established as viticulturists and winemakers, having been tending vines along the banks of the Mosel since the 17th Century, the Joh. Jos. Prüm estate only came into being in 1911, when the property was divided up among seven heirs. One of them, Johann Josef Prüm (died 1944), laid the foundation for the estate as it is today, his son Sebastian (died 1969) continued his work. Today it is run by the third fourth generation, Dr. Manfred Pruem and Wolfgang Prüm, with Manfred’s daughter Dr. Katharina Prüm.

Amrei Prüm, the mother of Katharina Prüm and the wife of Dr. Manfred Prüm, was our host.

Today there are at least seven wineries that bear the Prüm name several generations later: including Alfred Prüm, Dr. F. Weins-Prüm, Jos. Christoffel Jr. (formerly Christoffel-Prüm), Studert-Prüm, Weingut Steffen Prüm, S.A. Prüm, and J.J. Prüm. Several more Prüm intermarriages and mergers are also responsible for several more prominent names in German wine, including Dr. Loosen.

The estate has 33.5 acres of vineyards planted with Riesling. The Joh. Jos. Prüm portfolio includes a number of great vineyards, but it is undoubtedly the vines in the Wehlener Sonnenuhr on the opposite bank to the town of Wehlen and the Graacher Himmelreich that are most readily associated with the estate.

My friend, renowned wine journalist Yves Beck visited the estate shortly after us and enjoyed the same wine tasting. You can find his write-up about the visit (in German) on his Blog.

Pictures: At Weingut Joh. Jos. Prüm

Naturally Sweet Rieslings

The Riesling vines of Weingut JJ Pruem are grown on the region's decomposed blue slate soils, at incredibly steep inclines. The vines are own-rooted (non-grafted). Grapes are meticulously hand harvested and destemmed before being gently crushed into steel tanks where they ferment almost always with native yeasts before being moved into 50-plus-year-old, 1000-liter oak casks where they age until bottling. There is minimal CO2 pumping. As Joelle Payne notes in the Gault Millau WeinGuide Germany, the JJ Pruem cellars are, as they always have been, barred to visitors and Dr. Manfred Pruem is usually silent when asked for details of his vinification process, although I am sure there is nothing to hide. These are wines of great aristocracy, renowned for their precision, focus and finesse. The JJ Prüm wines have a reputation for being very long-lived.

Pictures: At Weingut Joh. Jos. Prüm with Amrei Prüm - Welcome

Stuart Pigott: 10 Things Every Wine lover Should Know About... J.J. Prüm

wine.searcher December 12, 2013

No. 1. Mosel idol: Take a look at Wine-Searcher's summary of the world's 50 most expensive wines, and you'll find that none has as many white wines listed as Weingut Joh. Jos. Prüm. This estate, located in the village of Wehlen in Germany's Mosel wine region, is also known to wine lovers around the world as “J.J. Prüm,” or simply “J.J.”

Its Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) takes 6th place in the most-expensive list, with an average price of $5,647. At no. 32 is the estate's Riesling Beerenauslese (BA), and the Riesling Eiswein is at 43. All of these wines are from the famous Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard site.

Recent auction results at Zachy’s give an idea of J.J. Prüm's desirability. In September, 12 bottles of 1983 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese "Gold Cap" sold for $2,450, and at the La Paulée auction in March two lots of 3 bottles of 1959 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling TBA each went for $15,925.

What makes this achievement all the more remarkable is the fact that as a category, sweet whites still struggle to gain the popular recognition which experts accord them, and all the “J.J.” wines stand out for their finesse and delicacy rather than their power.

Pictures: At Weingut Joh. Jos. Prüm

No. 2. It's all about longevity: It’s not without justification that wine lovers and collectors are skeptical about the aging potential of white wines – just think of how many white Burgundies of excellent provenance from vintages in the 1990s faded prematurely. What has won the J.J. wines their global following is a flawless track record on aging. Even the basic Joh.Jos. Prüm Riesling Kabinett, which retails for an average $25 excl. tax, will keep for at least five to ten years if well cellared. The Riesling Kabinett from the famous Wehlener Sonnenuhr site will keep much longer, with the 1981 Riesling Kabinett from J.J. still tasting lively.

The higher you climb up the ladder of the Prädikat system (in ascending order of sweetness and price, the classifications are Spätlese, Auslese, BA, TBA/eiswein) the longer the wines need to reach their best form and the longer they will keep. The top wines of the 1930s, '40s and '50s are still generally in excellent condition, though extremely hard to find.

Picture: Christian Schiller with Katharina Prüm at Wegmans in Virginia

Picture: Manfred Pruem, Weingut JJ Pruem and Annette Schiller at Weingut Robert Weil

Picture: Dr. Christian Schiller with Dr. Manfred Pruem in 2011

No. 3. "Struck-match" aroma: Even some of the world’s most influential wine critics have been mistaken about the distinctive "struck-match" aroma of young J.J. wines. It is not caused by sulfites, as commonly supposed (these wines having no more added sulfites than most other rieslings from the Mosel).

J.J. has a tradition of always doing wild yeast fermentation, and of minimal handling of the young wines in order to preserve their more delicate aromas and freshness – for which the technical term is reductive winemaking. Put very simply, oxidation accelerates the aging process while reduction puts the brakes on. Certainly, the residual fermentation aroma which the J.J. wines have when they come onto the market isn’t always appealing to those unfamiliar with it. But if this aroma were to be knocked out of them in the cellar, then they wouldn’t have that amazing aging potential and would also lose aroma as a result.

The struck-match scent naturally disappears with bottle aging. The lighter wines need some months for this process, while some of the high-end wines require a couple of years before their peach, exotic fruit and floral aromas properly unfold.

Pictures: With Joh. Jos. Prüm

No. 4. Staying sweet: Every now and again, the estate produces a dry wine in response to requests from particular clients and when the vintage makes this possible (they always choose grapes with no botrytis). However, these wines are almost never exported. Director Dr. Katharina Prüm isn’t fundamentally against dry rieslings from the Mosel, but she told Wine-Searcher: “This isn’t our main thing, and I don’t want to make it that, because obviously Joh. Jos. Prüm stands for the sweet wines."

No. 5. Barely a century old: Joh. Jos. Prüm was founded in 1911, and it wasn’t until the 1920 and '21 vintages that the first sweet Auslese wines were produced. The first BA followed in 1934, and the first TBAs in 1937 and '38. World War II seriously interrupted the estate’s development (there was no harvest at all in 1945), but with the 1949 vintage it was back on course with great Auslese, a BA, two TBAs and the estate’s first eiswein (made from grapes picked frozen by accident!).

No. 6. Pivotal trio: Although many people have worked with dedication to quality at the estate since 1920, and continue to do so, just three members of the Prüm family have steered J.J. during that period. The first of these was Sebastian Alois Prüm (1902–1969), who started working at the estate aged just 18. After his sudden death in early 1969, he was followed by his son Dr. Manfred Prüm. Since 2003, Manfred has been assisted by his elder daughter, Katharina, and the first vintage which she was properly responsible for was 2007. By the way, she and her father are both doctors of law, not medicine or winemaking.

No. 7. At J.J., the times are NOT a changin’: “My role isn’t to change the Joh. Jos. Prüm wines,” Katharina told Wine-Searcher. She made it plain that so far she’s only made small adjustments and doesn’t expect to make many more. The only one you might have noticed is that there’s now a clearer difference in sweetness levels between the (drier) Kabinett and (sweeter) Spätlese wines.

Customers who drink the drier styles are quite different from those buying Prüm’s rieslings at the sweeter end of the spectrum. Jeff Zacharia sells J.J. Prüm through Zachy's Scarsdale retail store and at auction. He explained that in the retail area, interest is focused on recent vintages of the estate’s kabinett and spätlese, whereas “interest at auction is much more geared towards the limited production sweet wines – so auslese and TBA."

Zacharia added: "The buyer base tends to be a smaller percentage of our clients who seek a variety of the most renowned wines in the world, including the best of Germany. I see this as a niche market composed of highly knowledgeable connoisseurs with a well-rounded passion for the best producers and vintage.“

Pictures: Tasting with Amrei Prüm

No. 8. Other great vineyards: The precipitously steep, southwest-facing Wehlener Sonnenuhr, with its grey slate soil, is certainly the most important vineyard site for the estate, accounting for almost 20 of its 50 acres of vines. However, in some vintages the wines from the J.J. holdings in the Graacher Himmelreich site (almost southwest facing and very steep) are as good as those from the Wehlener Sonnenuhr – although they sell for somewhat lower prices.

Occasionally, there are also spectacular wines from other sites, such as the 2006 Riesling BA from the Bernkasteler Badstube. In that case, the grapes were so heavily botrytized that almost none of the labor-intensive and time-consuming selective picking usually necessary to produce such a wine was needed.

No. 9. Not every Prüm estate is J.J.: The Prüm family has been in Wehlen since at least the late 18th century, so the family has many branches and there are a handful of other estates in the town with Prüm in their name. There are also a couple of producers outside Wehlen entitled to include the family in their estate names. Some have chosen to remove any mention of the Prüm connection from the label in order to avoid confusion, like Dr. Loosen in Bernkastel. Others keep the name, such as the Dr. F. Wein-Prüm estate run by Bert Selbach next door to J.J. on the Uferallee, the riverbank street of Wehlen.

In both of these cases the quality is high, but the wines have rather different styles from the Mosel rieslings made by Dr. Katharina Prüm.

Pictures: Tasting with Amrei Prüm

10. What does the Prüm family drink? Asked about her preference for current drinking is, Katharina said: "At the moment, mostly 2004, ’07 and ’08. Of course, I enjoy older vintages when they’re available. If our stocks from the 1990s and '80s were larger I’d drink those wines more often!”

Those three vintages of the last decade were all very good, although even 2007 doesn’t quite belong up there with 1949, '59, '71, '76, '90 or '05 (the greatest vintages for the estate). The main advantage of such years is that the wines are not quite so powerful or concentrated, and therefore have a harmony that makes them extremely appealing after only a few years of bottle-aging. The excellent 1988s, '89s and great '90s are now at their best, except at the BA and TBA level. However, these wines are now hard to find and command serious prices due to the reputations of those vintages.

Although all these wines are sweet, the Prüm family often drinks them at the dinner table with guests. Hard as it might be to imagine, an auslese with some bottle age is a great match with roast venison or wild boar! That’s a classic combination for the Prüms.

The Wines Amrei Prüm Poured


2014 Weingut J.J. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett - Graacher Himmelreich – very deep soiled (great water maintenance), weathered devon slate but also shows pockets of blue slate. 30 gr. RS.

2014 Weingut J.J. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett. Wehlener Sonnenuhr – pure, weathered devon slate, quite stony. 30 gr. RS.


2014 Weingut J.J. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese - 60 gr. RS.


2012 Weingut J.J. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese - Still very young, a little bit richer than the 2014.

2009 Weingut J.J. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese - Wine has settled down.


2009 Weingut J.J. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - More deepness, more compact, ready to drink.

2007 Weingut J.J. Prüm Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese - Bernkasteler Badstube – weathered Devon slate, also parts with blue slate and traces of loam. 2007 was a classic year. Elegant, dancing, acidity is in the foreground.

2007 Weingut J.J. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese - Big body, very compact, voluptious.

2004 Weingut J.J. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese - Leaner, not so creamy.

2003 Weingut J.J. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese - Rich, full mouth.


Bye-bye

Thanks for this extraordinary tasting, Frau Prüm.

Pictures: Auf Wiedersehen Frau Prüm.

Postings: Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir (Posted and Forthcoming)

Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir

Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Oetinger, Rheingau, with Achim von Oetinger– Germany-North 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch and Tour: Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Bourgogne in Riesling Land: Tasting at Chat Sauvage in Johannisberg, Rheingau, with Winemaker Michael Städter – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour, Tasting and Dinner at Wein- und Sektgut F.B. Schönleber in Östrich-Winkel, Rheingau, with Ralp and Bernd Schönleber - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Leitz in Rüdesheim, with Johannes Leitz – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut August Kesseler in Assmanshausen, with Winemaker Simon Batarseh – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Rhine River Cruise in the Mittelrhein Valley, an UNESCO World Heritage Region - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Weingut Matthias Müller in Spay, Mittelrhein, with Johannes and Matthias Müller - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting at Winzergenossenschaft Mayschoss in Mayschoss, Ahr – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016

Tasting at Weingut H.J. Kreuzberg in Dernau, Ahr, with Ludwig Kreuzberg and Frank Josten– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016

Tasting at Weingut Markus Molitor – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016

Tasting at Weingut Jos. Jos. Prüm in Bernkastel-Wehlen, Mosel, with Frau Prüm

The Wines of the Berncasteler Doctor, Bernkastel-Kues in the Mosel Valley, Germany

Wining in Bernkastel-Kues in the Mosel Valley: Wine Tavern “Spitzhaeuschen”, Germany

Tasting at Weingut Schloss Lieser in Lieser, Mosel, with Thomas Haag

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Trier, Germany

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken in Saarburg, Saar with Hanno Zilliken

Lunch at Landgasthof Zur Traube in Meddersheim, Nahe: Remembering Klaus Peter Wodartz' Ente in Wiesbaden

Tasting at Weingut Schäfer-Fröhlich in Bockenau, Nahe

Dinner with Wine Pairing at the new Wine Tavern of Weingut Kruger-Rumpf in Bingen, Rheinhessen, with Stefan Rumpf

Tasting at Weingut Tesch in Langenlonsheim, Nahe, with Martin Tesch

Cellar Tour and Wine Pairing Lunch at Weingut Hans Lang in Hattenheim, Rheingau, with Urban Kaufmann and Eva Raps  

Picture: Annette and Christian Schiller at Le Dôme in Paris

Led by Annette Schiller, the Bordeaux Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours took place from September 6 to 15, 2016. The group comprised 14 wine lovers from the United States and Switzerland, including Annette and Christian Schiller.

See: Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Like other group members, Annette and I stopped a night in Paris en route to Bordeaux. From Frankfurt to Paris, we took the high-speed ICE train. From Paris to Bordeaux we took the high-speed TGV train, which leaves from Gare Monteparnasse. Accordingly, our hotel was located in the Monteparnasse area and we used the opportunity to eat and drink at a few iconic left bank places on Boulevard Monteparnasse.

Pictures: ICE to Paris and TGV to Bordeaux

Upon arrival in the afternoon from Frankfurt, we did a bit of shopping on the left bank and passed by Les Deux Magots and Café de Flore, which are both located on Boulevard St. Germain-des-Pres. We took our pre-dinner drinks at La Rotonde on Boulevard Monteparnasse, just opposite to the Le Dome, where we had dinner. (We were torn between Le Dôme and La Closerie des Lilas). The following day, we had lunch at La Coupole, before hopping on the TGV to Bordeaux.

See also: Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, France

Picture: The Boulevard Montmartre at Night. Camille Pissarro, 1897

15 Most Famous Cafes in the Literary World (Onlinecollege.org)

Onlinecollege.org has an interesting list with the 15 most famous cafes in the literary world. All the places mentioned above are on this list:

La Rotonde: One of the most famous Parisian cafes during the great American literary ex-pat era is Cafe La Rotonde, which was actually written about in Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, although Hemingway's Jake Barnes seems to lament its overwhelming popularity: "No matter what cafe in Montparnasse you ask a taxi-driver to bring you to from the right bank of the river, they always take you to the Rotonde," Hemingway wrote. Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald and T.S. Eliot were also patrons there.

Le Dome Cafe: The very next line in Hemingway's quote above is, "Ten years from now it will probably be the Dome." Le Dome Cafe in Montparnasse in Paris was actually the first major cafe in that area to attract ex-pats and intellectuals. La Rotonde, Le Select and La Coupole were its competitors, but the Dome is now a more established seafood restaurant, no longer catering to up-and-coming artists and writers.

The Literary Café in St. Petersburg.

Les Deux Magots: Now a popular tourist spot, Les Deux Magots is known as Hemingway's favorite spot in Paris. But the St. Germain-des-Pres cafe also served many other legendary writers and artists, including Rimbaud, Simone de Beauvoir, André Gide, Jean Giraudoux, Jean Paul Sartre, and even Picasso. It's one of the oldest cafes in Paris, and pays tribute to its old but polished heritage in its current design and character (though is most likely more expensive than it was in Hemingway's day).

Cafe Braunerhof in Vienna.

Café de Flore: Now a popular hang-out among the fashion set and other glamorous types, Cafe de Flore — principal rival to Les Deux Magots — was another office for Hemingway and his contemporaries. In 1994, Café de Flore began handing out its own annual literary prize — the Prix de Flore — to promising young authors of French-language literature. Besides a cash prize, the winner gets to drink a glass of the white wine Pouilly-Fume at the cafe every day for a year.

Dingo Bar: Now the restaurant Auberge de Venise, the Dingo Bar was another Montparnasse staple that opened in 1923 and catered to English and American ex-pats in Paris, like writer Djuna Barnes and publishing house owner Nancy Cunard. It's also the spot where Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald met for the first time.

Cafe Montmartre in Prague.

Pedrocchi Café in Padua.

Harry's New York Bar: Actually located in Paris, Harry's New York Bar was named for its early manager, a Scotsman. It opened in 1911, and Harry was supposedly responsible for making it a legitimate ex-pat cafe during the next decade, attracting Sinclair Lewis, Humphrey Bogart, Hemingway, and others. Side tip: Harry's New York Bar is also where the Bloody Mary was first concocted.

Antico Caffe Greco in Rome.

La Coupole: La Coupole is another historical Montparnasse cafe, which opened in 1927, soon after Le Select, and aimed to compete against Le Dome for the expat intellectual clientele. The massive cafe could seat 600 people, including famous guests like Simone de Beauvoir and Jean Paul Sartre. La Coupole is now an official historic monument.

La Closerie des Lilas: Also situated in Paris' Montparnasse is La Closerie, which opened in 1847 and attracted everyone from Henry James to Leon Trotsky to Gertrude Stein and Hemingway, who references nearby statues and descriptions in The Sun Also Rises.
Caffe Giubbe Rosse in Florence.

Grand Café in Oslo.

Left Bank Shopping: Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots

Upon arrival in the afternoon from Frankfurt, we did a bit of shopping on the left bank and passed by Les Deux Magots and Café de Flore, which are both located on Boulevard St. Germain-des-Pres.

Café de Flore

The haunt of the Surrealists in the 1920s and 1930s. Picassos met muse and model Dora Maar here. Simon de Beauvoir and Jean Paul Sartre kind of lived here. I sat several times next to Karl Lagerfeld (in the late evening).

Picture: Café de Flore in Paris

Les Deux Magots

Another Paris literary haunt legend, but I prefer Café de Flore.

Picture: Les Deux Magots in Paris

Before Dinner Drinks at La Rotonde

Located on the Carrefour Vavin, at the corner of Boulevard du Montparnasse and Boulevard Raspail, La Rotonde was founded by Victor Libion in 1911. La Rotonde has retained much of its bohemian charm and continues in operation to this day as a popular spot for the Parisian Intelligentsia. Picasso portrayed two diners in the cafe in his painting "In the cafe de la Rotonde" in 1901. It was the preferred place of the Russian crowd, includng Trotsky and Lenin.

Pictures: Before Dinner Drinks at La Rotonde

Dinner at Le Dôme

From the beginning of the 1900s, it was renowned as an intellectual gathering place. A poor artist used to be able to get a Saucisse de Toulouse and a plate of mashed potatoes for $1. Le Dôme later became the gathering place of the American literary colony and became a focal point for artists residing in Paris's Left Bank. It was widely known as "the Anglo-American café." Today, it is a top fish restaurant, with a comfortably old-fashioned decor. The food writer Patricia Wells said, "I could dine at Le Dôme once a week, feasting on platters of briny oysters and their incomparable sole meunière."

Pictures: Dinner at Le Dôme in Paris

Dômiers

The term Dômiers was coined to refer to the international group of artists who gathered at the Café du Dôme, including:

Robert Capa (1913–1954)
Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975)
Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908–2004)
Aleister Crowley (1875–1947)
Max Ernst (1891–1976)
Tsuguharu Foujita (1886–1968)
Paul Gauguin (1848–1903)
Ida Gerhardi (1865-1927)
Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961)
Youssef Howayek (1883–1962)
Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931)
Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944)
Moïse Kisling (1891–1953)
Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924)
Sinclair Lewis (1885–1951)[4]
Henry Miller (1891–1980)
Anaïs Nin (1903–1977)
Amedeo Modigliani (1884–1920)[5]
Jules Pascin (1885–1930)
Pablo Picasso (1881–1973)
Ezra Pound (1885–1972)
Man Ray (1890–1976)
Chaim Soutine (1893–1943)
Méret Oppenheim
Leonor Fini
Leonora Carrington
Gerda Taro (1910–1937)
Ernesto Sábato (1911-2010)
Sándor Márai (1900-1989)
Elmyr de Hory (1906-1976)

Lunch at La Coupole

An institution. Huge. Josephine Baker took a bath in the fountain, which sits in the middle of the brasserie. Jean-Paul Sartre dined here. Hemmingway, Fitzgerald and Joyce consorted here. Henry Miller cam here for his morning porridge. Man Ray and Matisse were also part of the local fauna. Generally, it was the preferred place of the American crowd.

No reservations – you wait at the bar.

Pictures: Lunch at La Coupole in Paris

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Picture: Christian Schiller and Jean Luc Thunevin in Saint Emilion

Jean Luc Thunevin became a well known figure in the wine world in less than a decade, thanks to its successful garage wine, Château Valandraud. As part of the Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France we went to the place in Saint Emilion, where it all started and had a tasting of his wines, including a Château Valandraud.

Nicolas Seveno was our host.

Pictures: On the Way to the "Garage" of Jean-Luc Thunevin

Jean-Luc Thunevin

Jean-Luc Thunevin: Jean Luc Thunevin became a well known figure in the wine world in less than a decade, thanks to its successful garage wine, Château Valandraud.

It’s probabaly when tasting Le Pin, a Pomerol wine produced from a very small vineyard, that the desire to make a great wine by himself started. Obsessed by wine, opiniated and determined, he finally realized his dream in 1991, first vintage of Château Valandraud. This was the start of a fantastic adventure leading to a quick success.

Pictures: Tour of the "Garage" of Jean-Luc Thunevin

From then on, he became the inspiration and kind of a leader for other garagistes. All thess micro cuvées coming from low yield to become concentrated wines. The vineyard work is under the strict supervision of Murielle, Jean Luc’s wife, who leads her team to respect each vine and adapt the pruning individually, systematic deleafing campaigns and of course green harvesting are on the menu.

Jean Luc aims to harvest at full maturity, he also copied the Burgundy vinification ways (pigeage…) to reach an optimum concentration. The wine is produced with a constant research of excellency.

Pictures: Tasting were it all Started: At the "Garage" of Jean-Luc Thunevin, Owner and Winermaker of Château Valandraud, Premier Grand Cru Classé since 2012

Throughout his years of passionate work, Jean Luc Thunevin has mastered a know how that is now beneficial to other chateaux, such as Fleur Cardinale (Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé), Château Sansonnet (Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé), Château La Vieille Cure (Fronsac). He has previrously worked for Château Marojallia (Margaux), Branon (Graves) or Château La Dominique (Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé). Murielle Andraud and Jean Luc Thunevin are owners and producers in Pomerol too with Clos du Beau Père and Domaine des Sabines (Lalande de Pomerol) and are also the co owners of Domaine Thunevin–Calvet in Roussillon.

All Thunevin produced wines are sold via the Thunevin wine merchant company.

The Wines we Tasted


2014 Bad Boy Bordeaux

wine-searcher average price: US$14

Jean Luc Thunevin has repeatedly been called « Saint Emilion’s bad boy » or « Bordeaux’s black sheep » by Robert Parker, and it has given him the idea to create a cuvée called Bad Boy (Mauvais Garçon).

In 2007, Bad Boy 2005 has been released, under the regular Bordeaux appellation, as the regulations did not authorize then new blendings. It was just a matter of time to see the family grow with a Baby Bad Boy (Petit Garçon) when the Vin de France regulation authorized unseen blendings (Merlot/Grenache for us), it then quickly became mandatory to have a bubbly Crémant de Bordeaux Bad Girl (dry white and rosé) ….

And the family still grows with the 2 newest Bad Boys : 100 % Chardonnay and 100 % Syrah, both « Vin de France », even if they are produced in Saint Genes de Castillon , near Château Valandraud’s vineyard.


The bottling of the cuvee BAD BOY 2014 produced 85 000 bottles. 80% merlot 10% cabernet Franc 5% cabernet sauvignon, 5% petit verdot with vines at least 50 years old in a great terroir of clayey limestone mainly.

Jean Luc Thunevin: I was able to create this 2014 cuvée, as one would say during the Academy Awards, thanks to my parents without who this would have been impossible; my wife and my daughter who accept my crazy ideas, my bank manager who keeps on backing me, hoping that it will work, my past and future customers who always trust me, wine merchants from Bordeaux and brokers (who for this time are not the reason for this cuvee!), and especially, I thank: Robert Parker who gave me the idea to call this cuvée Bad Boy with one of his comments on Valandraud: “A terrific effort from bad boy.

and leading garagiste, Jean-Luc Thunevin, and his sidekick, Murielle Andraud, the inky/blue/purple-tinged 2005 Valandraud exhibits superb aromas of graphite, black currants, blackberries, violets, white chocolate, sweet licorice, and espresso roast. Boasting great intensity, full-bodied power, beautiful purity, and layers of complexity, this stunning wine should be unusually long-lived. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025+.

2014 Moulin du Cadet Saint Emilion Grand Cru

wine-searcher average price: US$24


2014 Clos Badon Saint Emilion Grand Cru

wine-searcher average price: US$40

Clos Badon Thunevin is located between the vines of Pavie and Larcis Ducasse, on the same level as Canon la Gaffelière.

Surface : 6.5 ha
Soils : sands and gravels
Grape varieties planted : Merlot 70%, Cabernet Franc 30%
Average age of the vines : 30 years
Ageing : 18 months in new barrels
Production : 12 000 bottles


The 2014 Clos Badon is a dark, voluptuous beauty endowed with considerable richness and raciness. Super-ripe black cherries, mocha, bittersweet chocolate, new oak and spices flesh out in an inky, intense wine. The style is decidedly ripe, plush and opulent, with all the elements in place . Still, Clos Badon is quite extroverted. Antonio Galloni

2011 Virginie de Valandraud Saint Emilion Grand Cru

wine-searcher average price: US$58

Established in 1992 as a second wine, Virginie de Valandraud (Virginie is the name of Jean-Luc Thunevin’s daughter ), is grown and vinified in the same way as Château Valandraud by the same teams with the same care and the same methods, under the direction of Jean-Luc Thunevin, the chef de culture Christophe Lardière and the cellar master Rémi Dalmasso.


Surface : 8,88 ha vineyards in Saint Emilion Grand Cru
Soils : clayey limestone
Grape varieties planted on the property : 65 % Merlot, Cabernet Franc 25 %, Cabernet Sauvignon 5 %, Malbec 4 % and Carmenère1%
Vinification with temperature controlled stainless steel tanks, manual punching of the cap, pumping-over, maceration about three weeks.
Average age of the vines : 30 years old
Ageing : 18 to 20 months in 100 % new oak barrels
Production : 15,000 bottles (average)

An attractive, richly fruity, spicy wine, the 2011 Virginie de Valandraud reveals hints of Christmas baking spices, mocha and black cherries along with supple tannins, decent acidity and a round, corpulent mouthfeel. Drink it over the next 10-12 years. RP

2012 Clos Romanile Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

wine-searcher average price: US$26


2013 Valandraud Saint Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé

wine-searcher average price: US$121

Château Valandraud is the achievement reached by a wine obsessed couple, Jean Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud. Once having succeeded in establishing a wine merchant company in Saint Emilion( still up and running), their wish was to own a vineyard and make their own wine.

In 1989 they turned their dream into reality by buying a small plot in the Fongaban central area of Saint Emilion, between Pavie-Maquin and La Clotte. The name Valandraud is a pure creation mixing Val (as the 1st plot is based in the Fongaban Valley) and Andraud (family name of Murielle that can be traced back to 1459 in the Saint Emilion registry)

Little by little, they bought several plots and now Château Valandraud’s 8.88 ha vineyard is fully based in Saint Etienne de Lisse.

Our technical team is constantly seeking technical improvements and all processes combine tradition and modernity, from the care of the vineyard to the harvest done by hand, first sorting being done during the hand picking of the ripe grapes.

The harvest is then carried to our organic inspired cellar, and the grapes are once more sorted by a Tribaie. The fermentation takes place in different tanks : stainless steel, concrete and wood. Once the alcoholic fermentation is done, the newly born Valandraud goes in oak barrels ( 100% new for each vintage) to start the malolactic fermentation. The ageing is from then on a game of « wait and see taste » and lasts from 18 to 30 months. The bottling of the wine (non filtreted, non fined) is handled by our team and own bottling group.

The success of Valandraud was an inspiration for many and created the infamous appellation known as «garage wines » !

Château Valandraud has been promoted to 1st classified growth of Saint Emilion since vintage 2012, 21 years after its creation.


Surface: 8.88 hectares
Soils : clayey limestone and quartz-gravel
Grape varieties-planted : 65 % Merlot, Cabernet Franc, 25 %, Cabernet Sauvignon 5%, Malbec 4%, Carmenère 1%
Average age of vines : 30 years
Vinification with temperature controlled in stainless steel tanks, manual punching of the cap, pumping-over, maceration about three weeks.
Ageing : 18 to 30 months in 100 % new oak barrels
Average Production: 15000 bottles

Bye-bye

Picture: Annette Schiller and Nicolas Seveno

Postings on the Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France (Posted and Forthcoming)

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

Bordeaux Wines and their Classifications: The Basics

Bordeaux - En Primeur, Negociants, Courtiers, the Quai de Chartons and the Place de Bordeaux– A Short Introduction

How Does the Negociant System in Bordeaux Work? Tour and Tasting at Millésima - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour and Tasting from Barrel at Domaine de Chevalier, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Adrien Bernard - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Dinner with a View: At Restaurant L’Estacade in Bordeaux City - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France

Schiller's Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France

The Wine Empire of the von Neipperg Family in France, Bulgaria and Germany

Tour and Tasting at Château Canon La Gaffelière, Appellation Saint-Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour and Wine Pairing Lunch at Château Beauséjour, Appellation Puisseguin Saint-Emilion, with Owner/ Winemaker Gérard Dupuis - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Figeac, Premier Grand Cru Classé B, in Saint-Émilion– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Beauregard, Appellation Pomerol– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour with Dany Rolland: Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tasting were it all Started: At the "Garage" of Jean-Luc Thunevin, Owner and Winermaker of Château Valandraud, Premier Grand Cru Classé since 2012

Charcuterie and Cheese at Chez Pascal

Tour and Tasting at Château de Fargues, Sauternes, with Prince Eudes d’Orléans

Wine Pairing Lunch at the 1-star Michelin Restaurant Claude Darozze, with Marie-Hélène Lévêque, Owner of Châteaux Chantegrive

Tour of Château de Chantegrive, Appellation Grave

Tour and Tasting at Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte, Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé.

Wine Pairing Lunch at the 2-star Michelin Restaurant La Grande Vigne (at Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte)

Tour of the new Musee du Vin in Bordeaux City

Seafood lunch at Pinasse Cafe in Cap Ferret

Tour of the Earl Ostrea Chanca Oyster Farm and Oyster Tasting in Grand-Piquey, with Oyster Farmer Ralph Doerfler

The 5 Premiers Grands Crus Chateaux en 1855 of Bordeaux, France

What is a Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois? France

Tourt and tasting at Château Palmer, Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Pauillac, 2ième Grand Cru Classé

Wine Lunch at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Pauillac, 2ième Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe, 4ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Michel Tesseron

At the Invitation of Owner Michel Tesseron: Private Dinner at Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe, 4ième Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc

How a Barrel is Made: Visit of the Cooperage Berger & Fils in Vertheuil

Lunch were the Locals eat: At Le Peyrat in Saint-Estèphe in Saint Estephe

Tour and Tasting at Château Léoville Poyferré, Saint-Julien, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, with Anne Cuvelier

Tour and Tasting at Château Margaux, Appellation Margaux, 1ière Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Kirwan, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Nathalie Schyler

Picnic Lunch at Château Kirwan, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Nathalie Schyler

Tour and Wine Dinner at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Daina Paulin

Picture: Nik Weis and Annette Schiller. See: Tasting at Weingut St. Urbans-Hof in Leiwen, Mosel, with Nik Weis – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

The Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2017 – one of the 4 main wine guides in Germany (along with GaultMillau, Feinschmecker and the relatively new Falstaff) - was released in November 2016.

In the Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2017 Gerhard Eichelmann presents 935 winemakers and reviews 11000 wines. For the rating of the winemakers, he employs a system that awards a winery up to five stars, where 5 stars indicate “world class, top international producers”. There are about 2 dozens of German winemakers in this group and I will post separately about the new list. The wines are assessed using a 50-100 point scale rating system.

Additionally, in each issue of the Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland a (1) Rising Star of the Year as well as the producers of the best collections of (2) red wines, (3) white wines and (4) noble-sweet wines are named. Further, Gerhard Eichelmann presents a “Classic of the Year” Wine and an Honorary Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Pictures: Gerhard Eichelmann and the Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2017 Award Recipients

Best White Wine Collection: Weingut Max Müller I in Volkach

Franken
18 hectares
38% Silvaner, 15% Riesling, 15% Müller-Thurgau

Gerhard Eichelmann: Already in the first edition of this guide 17 years ago, Rainer Müller was praised as an up-and-coming winemaker in Franconia. Together with his wife Monika, he led the estate to the peak. In recent years they have clearly structured and differentiated the range with their son Christian. Especially their Silvaner wines show variety and class.

Picture: Monika, Rainer and Christian Müller of Weingut Max Müller I (Photo: Facebook)

Best Red Wine Collection: Weingut Martin Wassmer

Baden
30 hectares
60% Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris

Gerhard Eichelmann: This is the first time that I selected a winemaker from the Baden Markgräflerland for best red wine collection. Martin Wassmer’s 2014 rd wines represent an impressive and harmonious red wine collection, including 4 Spätburgunder wines, which are very precise and very clearly distinguishable from each other.

Best Fruiuty-sweet and Noble-sweet Collection: Weingut Nik Weis - Sankt Urbans-Hof

Mosel
35 hectares
95% Riesling
VDP

Gerhard Eichelmann: Again in 2015, Nik Weis has to offer a number of “fat” wines, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslesen, wines for eternity. Already now exciting are the Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese wines, all fascinating with complexity and freshness, race and elegance. And Nik Weis’s wine portfoilio offers you the possibility to contrast Mosel and Saar wines, At Nik Weis, beautiful Mosel and Saar can be juxtaposed, Goldtröpfchen and Bockstein, Saarfeilser and Laurentiuslay.

Pictures: Tasting at Weingut St. Urbans-Hof in Leiwen, Mosel, with Nik Weis – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Rising Star of the Year: Weingut Carl Ehrhard

Rheingau
10 hectares

Gerhard Eichelmann: Since the first edition of the Eichelmann WineGuide, I recommend Weingut Carl Ehrhard fin Rüdesheim. He is now at the helm of his estate for 20 years and the wines get better and better. Is it the serenity Carl Ehrhard or the fact that he lets express his wines the terroir where the grapes come from? The phalanx of his Rieslings from the Rüdesheimer Berg is impressive.

Picture: The Wines of Car Ehrhard (Photo: Facebook)

Klassiker des Jahres/ Classic of the Year: Halenberg, Nahe, Riesling, GG, Weingut Emrich-Schönleber

Nahe
18 hectares
85% Riesling
VDP

Gerhard Eichelmann: Every year a fascinating Riesling with a huge aging potential.

In addition to the 4 Wineries of the Year, Gerhard Eichelmann presents a Classic of the Year to be added to the "Mondo Classic Library", a list of the German Grand Cru wines from a grand vineyard.

Pictures: Table Weingut Barth/ Weingut Emrich-Schönleber with Chef Josef Lafer Jun., Zum Krug, Hattenheim, at the Riesling Gala 2016 at Kloster Eberbach. See: A Riesling Feast in an Historic Setting: Riesling Gala 2016 at Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau, Germany

Honorary Award for Lifetime Achievement: Werner Knipser, Weingut Knipser in Laumersheim

Pfalz
56 hectares
30% Pinot Noir, 20% Riesling, 9% Merlot, 8% Chardonnay

Gerhard Eichelmann: In 1983. Werner Knipser began to ferment and age his wines in barrique, to increase the red wine share, to go back to the classical German red grape varieties, but also to experiment with international grape varieties. It was him who put Laumersheim on the map and establish the Pfalz as a serious red wine producer. But one should not forget also led, with his brother Volker, the estate the elite of German white wine producers.

Picture: Gerhard Eichelmann and Werner Knipser (Photo: Facebook)

schiller-wine: Related Postings -Eichelmann

For previous years, see:

Germany's 28 Best Winemakers - Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2016

Best German Wines and Winemakers – Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2016 Awards, Germany

Germany's Top 27 Winemakers: 5 out of 5 Grapes - Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2015

Best German Wines and Winemakers – Eichelmann Wine Guide Deutschland 2015 Awards, Germany

Germany’s 26 Top Winemakers - Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2014

Best German Winemakers – Eichelmann Wine Guide Deutschland 2014 Awards, Germany

Best German Wines and Winemakers – Eichelmann Wine Guide Deutschland 2013 Awards, Germany

Best German Wines - Eichelmann Wine Guide 2012 Awards, Germany

Wine ratings: German wine --- Eichelmann 2010  (Awards) 

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Heads up for the 2017 Tours - to Germany and France - by ombiasy WineTours

Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture and History

Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir

Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tasting at Weingut St. Urbans-Hof in Leiwen, Mosel, with Nik Weis – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

A Riesling Feast in an Historic Setting: Riesling Gala 2016 at Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau, Germany

Picture: Domaine Faiveley in Nuits St. Georges

We visit Domaine Joseph Faiveley in Nuits St. Georges. The visit included a tour and a tasting of 7 wines with Brand Ambassador Mathilde Nicolas.

We toured the old cellars of the main building of Domaine Faiveley. This year, unfortunately, we were not able to visit the barrel and tank cellars. I have added pictures from last year's visit of the barrel and tank cellars.

Domaine Joseph Faiveley is one of the biggest domains in the Bourgogne and, many would argue, one of the best. This illustrious company has been based in Nuits St Georges since the days of Pierre Faiveley who founded the business in 1825. His son Joseph gave his name to the family business, to be followed by (1) the first François, (2) Georges who was instrumental in founding the Chevaliers du Tastevin, (3) Guy who developed the business in the Côte Chalonnaise, (4) François who recently retired and (5) now his son Erwan, born in 1979.

Pictures: Arriving at Domaine Faiveley in Nuits St. Georges

Guy Faiveley, a brilliant intellectual who had a collection of diplomas had the difficult job of succeeding his very colorful father. Yet, with his impetus, the domain doubled in size. François Faiveley took over the domain at the age of 25. He was able to give it a new boost – using a precursor of the sorting table and carrying out cold macerations for example. At the same age as his father, Erwan Faiveley took over the domain in 2007, becoming the seventh generation. On his arrival, he renewed and reinforced his team and invested in the winery and the vineyards. He brought new dynamics to the family business, while remaining faithful to his predecessors' values.

Picture: Annette Schiller and Mathilde Nicolas, Domaine Faiveley Brand Ambassador.

Initially, the company was a classic négociant, buying and selling wine. Bourgogne wines started to experience greater fame in Louis 14th's reign, when those high up in the King's court and foreign ambassadors in Paris started to take an interest. It was against this background that Pierre Faiveley founded the négociant business in 1825.

Pictures: At Domaine Faiveley in Nuits St. Georges (2015 Visit)

But from generation to generation, with a strong commitment to the quality of Burgundy’s patrimony, the Faiveley family has purchased vineyards and is today among the largest owners of classified vineyards in the Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune and Côte Chalonnaise.

The objective of the family today, led by Erwan Faiveley, is to increase the firm’s holdings of great vineyards so that there can be complete control from vine to bottle across the entire range of wines.

Pictures: At Domaine Faiveley in Nuits St. Georges (2015 Visit)

On October 15, 2013, in a surprise announcement, Domaine Faiveley reported it had acquired 20 hectares of vines previously owned by Domaine Dupont-Tisserandot, which is based in Gevrey-Chambertin. All together, the firm now presently owns 123 hectares of vineyards among which 12 hectares are grands crus and 27, premiers crus.

Along with this focus, Erwan Faiveley and General Manager Bernard Hervet have renovated the cellars, which now boast state-of-the-art barrel presses, custom-designed wooden vats and among the finest, air-cured oak casks available in the world. Unlike many wine growers, Domaine Faiveley has united the management of its vineyards and its cellar under the direction of one technical director, Jerome Flous.

Pictures: At Domaine Faiveley in Nuits St. Georges

The grapes are entirely destemmed and fermented in new custom-designed wooden vats for the finer wines, conical stainless steel tanks for the lesser cuvées. Fermentation is slow and at low temperatures.

Wines mature afterwards in oak barrels in 19th century vault cellars that offer ideal conditions for long ageing. These barrels coming from great coopers have been rigorously selected for their fine grain and light toast. Both premier and grand cru wines may receive two-thirds new wood.

Pictures: Tasting at Domaine Faiveley in Nuits St. Georges

Many of Faiveley's top wines are hand bottled with no filtration. This in turn results in clean, opulent wines that often show Pinot Noir at its best.

Faiveley’s white wines are both silky and powerful. They bring together purity, tension and minerality. The red wines are the perfect illustration of a successful marriage of elegance, precision and concentration.

The objective of the family today, led by Erwan Faiveley, is to increase the firm’s holdings of great vineyards so that there can be complete control from vine to bottle across the entire range of wines. Along with this focus, Erwan Faiveley has renovated the Domaines cellars—in both Nuits-Saints-George and Mercurey—which now boast state of the art barrel presses, custom-designed wooden vats and among the finest, air-cured oak casks available in the world.

This write up is based on what I learnt from Mathilde Nicolas during the tour and tasting at Domaine Faiveley in Nuits-Saint-Georges and the Faiveley web site, supplemented by the excellent write-ups on the web site of Berry Bros. and Rudd as well as Frederic Wildmann.

Tasting

Les Vins


Les Rouges


2014 Domaine Faiveley Mercurey “La Framboisière”


This wine has a really fruity powerful nose, which mixes greedy red and black fruit aromas and woody notes. But it is on the palate that it shows its full potential, where it is powerful and fleshy with flavors of raspberry and other very ripe red fruits, almost as if we were biting into them.

2014 Domaine Faiveley Gevry-Chambertin

A brilliant dark ruby color. The expressive and complex nose has aromas of red fruits with woody notes. We find these same aromas on the palate which are well enveloped by delicately blended tannins.


2014 Domaine Faiveley Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru "Les Porêts St-Georges"

A deep ruby-red color. The nose has black fruit notes and woody, fiery aromas. After a round and full attack, this wine proves powerful and full-bodied. It is well-balanced and of high quality, with good cellaring potential.


2014 Domaine Faiveley Corton "Clos des Cortons Faiveley" Grand Cru

A rather intense black colour.  The nose is powerful, concentrated, fruity and woody.  The attack is strong and tannic.  The tannins are firm, but well incorporated by the smoothness. We are in the presence of a wine of great volume, with supple tannins and very long-lasting aromas and tastes. This is a fine wine for cellaring.


Les Blancs


2014 Faiveley Bourgogne Chardonnay


2014 Domaine Faiveley Rully “Les Villeranges”

A brilliant light yellow color. A blend of mineral flinty aromas and very ripe fruit aromas gives a nice fresh bouquet. This wine is very pleasant on the palate, sophisticated and round at first, with a slightly acid finish, which gives a beautiful freshness to the whole.


2014 Domaine Faiveley Puligny Montrachet "Champgain" Premier Cru

The nose is very nice and charms with its both subtle and enveloping character. We find aromas of citrus fruits, exotic fruits and light toasty notes there. This wine is full on the palate and strikes a balance between fatness and liveliness. A harmonious wine with long-lasting aromas.


Postings: Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours:From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History (Published and Forthcoming Postings)

Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History

Dinner at a Bouchon - Chez Paul - in Lyon: Schiller’s Favorite Bouchons in Lyon, France

Introduction to the Burgundy Wine Region at Antic Wine in Lyon with Flying Sommelier Georges Dos Santos - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges, Paul Bocuse’s Iconic Restaurant in Collonges­ au­ Mont­ d’Or, France - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

In the Most Prestigious AOC in the Mâconnais: Pouilly-Fuissé, France

Vineyard Walk, Cellar Walk and Tasting at Domaine Ferret in Fuissé, Poully­ Fuissé, Mâconnais, with Winemaker Audrey Braccini - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting at Domaine Georges Descombes in Vermont, Villié­-Morgon, Beaujolais - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at Restaurant Le Mercurey in Mercurey - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

At Domaine Theulot­-Juillot in Mercurey, Côte Chalonnaise, with Nathalie Theulot - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour of Château de Rully and Tasting of Domaine du Château de Rully Wines, with Count Raoul de Ternay - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Michel Prunier & Fille in Auxey­ Duresses, Côte de Beaune - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Where Robert Parker likes to Eat: Lunch at La Crémaillère in Auxey-Duresses - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Walk in Meursault with Karoline Knoth - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Dinner at the 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Ed.Em in Chassagne Montrachet - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Olivier Leflaive in Puligny Montrachet: Vineyard Walk and Cellar Tour, with Olivier and Patrick Leflaive - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Lunch and Wine Tasting at La Table de Olivier in Puligny Montrachet with Olivier Leflaive – Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Visit: Hospices de Beaune– Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Lunch in a Typical French Brasserie: Le Carnot in Beaune - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting: Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune– Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne

An American Making Ultra-Premium Wines in Burgundy: Visit and Tasting at Domaine Dublère in Savigny­ lès­ Beaune, with Owner/ Winemaker Blair Pethel - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting Natural Wines with Maurice Marle at Chez Maurice in Beaune - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Faiveley in Nuits-­Saint­-George, Côte de Nuits

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Jean­-Jacques Confuron in Prémeaux­-Prissey Côte de Nuits with Louis Meunier

Lunch at Restaurant La Cabotte in Nuits-­Saint-­George

Visit and Tasting at Domaine Thibault Liger­-Belair in Nuits­-Saint­-George with Thibault Liger-­Belair

Visit of Château du Clos de Vougeot

Where the Most Expensive Red Wines Come from: Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Anne Gros in Vosne­-Romanée, Côte de Nuits

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Guillon & Fils in Gevrey­-Chambertin, Côte de Nuits, with Jean-Michel Guillon

An Institution: Lunch at Restaurant Chez Guy in Gevrey­-Chambertin

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Armelle et Bernhard Rion in Vosne­-Romanée, Côte de Nuits, with Alice Rion

Tour at the Fontenay Abbey (Bernard de Clairveau), Montbard

Wine Pairing Lunch, Cellar Visit, Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Domaine Jean­ Marc Brocard in Préhy, Chablis

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and other Wine Venues in Chablis, France

Champagne– An Introduction, France

French Champagne Houses and German Roots 

Visit and Tasting at the Grower Champagne House Champagne Jean Josselin in Gyé­ sur ­Seine, Champagne, with Jean Pierre Josselin, his Wife and Sharona Tsubota

Cellar Visit and Tasting at the Champagner House AR Lenoble in Epernay, Champagne, with Export Manager Christian Holthausen

Cellar Visit and Tasting at the Champagner House Taittinger in Reims, Champagne

Lunch at Brasserie Flo in Reims

Picture: Wine Bar/ Wine Store La Ligne Rouge at Porte Cailhau in Bordeaux Ciy

This is an update of Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City (2015), which I prepared following the Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015).

See here for earlier lists:
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France (2015)
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France, 2014
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux (City) (2012), France

The list below is in no particular order.

Bordeaux City

The city of Bordeaux is a jewel, with vestiges from the Roman era and medieval town gates. However, the 18th century was its golden age. Victor Hugo once said: “Take Versailles, add Antwerp, and you have Bordeaux.”

Pictures: Visiting Bordeaux City

Bordeaux is often referred to as "Little Paris". Baron Haussmann, a long-time prefect of Bordeaux, used Bordeaux’s 18th century, big-scale rebuilding as a model when he was asked by Emperor Napoleon III to transform a then still quasimedieval Paris into a “modern” capital that would make France proud.

The city was ruled by the English for a long time, which is why Bordeaux seems to have an "English flair". After the marriage of Henry II to Eleanor of Aquitaine, Bordeaux came under English rule between 1152 and 1453. It was then that the British first developed their taste for Claret, as the red Bordeaux wine is called in the UK.

The city has recently been classified by UNESCO as an “outstanding urban and architectural ensemble”.Bordeaux has a million inhabitants, including a lively university community of over 60,000.

Pictures: Visiting Bordeaux City

Bordeaux is a flat city, built on the left banks of the Garonne. The Garonne merges a dozen kilometers below the city with the Dordogne to form the Gironde, which is biggest estuary in France. The two main entertainment spots are: (1) Formerly inhabited by wine merchant warehouses, the docks (les quais) are now home to gardens, bike and skate paths, boutiques, museums, cafés, bars and restaurants. (2) La Victoire is the other area for entertainment: Historical monuments meet student life and bars. Most of the pubs and bars of the town are here. Virtually, all the shops in the surroundings of this area are bars.

See:
In the Wine Capital of the World: the City of Bordeaux, France
Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France
Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France
Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars

Le Millésime Wine bar and Tapas Restaurant

4 rue du Puits Descujols

Le Millésime Bar à vins: Situé dans le cœur historique de Bordeaux, à 20 mètres de la Place de la Bourse, le Millésime est un nouveau concept de bar à vins et restaurant à Bordeaux qui propose la dégustation de grands crus classés au verre, accompagnés d’une grande variété de tapas élaborés à partir de produits frais des marchés du sud ouest et d’Espagne. Notre chef Martial décline également à travers une carte de plats typiques les saveurs de la cuisine du sud ouest de la France. L’ambiance du Millésime est à la fois chic et décontractée, appuyée par la présence récurrente d’un DJ pour les soirées week-end. Le Millésime vous propose un grand choix de vins au verre avec plus d’une trentaine de références principalement de vins de Bordeaux, Bourgogne, vallées du Rhone et de la Loire, sans oublier les vins Espagnols et d’Amérique du sud. Parmi ces choix, Le Millésime a également la particularité de proposer des premiers grands crus classés au verre : ce mois-ci Château d’Yquem 1995, Château Cheval-Blanc 2004, et Château Haut-Brion 2002.

Picture: At Le Millésime Bar à Vins in Bodeaux City

Le Wine Bar

19 Rue des Bahutiers, in the historic St. Pierre district

Run and owned by two charming Italians, Giancarlo Savini and Emmanuel Cadei, and their French wives, the wine list also includes many wines from Italy and other countries. A cosy, small place. The food is charcuterie and cheese. Le Wine Bar is an excellent location to enjoy a glass on an outdoor terrace.

Pictures: At Le Wine Bar with Owners Emmanuel Cadei and Giancarlo Savini

Le Bar a Vin

3 Cours du 30 Juillet

Le Bar a Vin is located on the ground floor of the Maison du Vin de Bordeaux, diagonally opposite the Grand Théatre. Le Bar a Vin is one of the few wine bars open all day. However, if you are interested in premium Bordeaux wines, this is not the place to go. Le Bar a Vin does not showcase the wines of the perhaps 400 producers people talk about in the world, but the wines of the 15.000 or so other producers that also make excellent wines. Most wines are around Euro 3 per glass including tax and service.

The menu - updated every several weeks - includes about 20 Bordeaux wines, all served by the glass only. But Le Bar a Vin also serves one or two premium wines; we had the 4. Cru Classé en 1855 Château Lafon Rochet 2007 at €8. The food menu is plates of charcuterie, and cheeses for Euro 6.

Pictures: At Le Bar a Vin

Max Bordeaux Wine Gallery

14 Cours de l'Intendance

Not too far away from Le Bar a Vin is Max Bordeaux Wine Gallery, just the opposite of Le Bar a Vin. The enomatic system contains wines of the 400 producers or so that are known all over the world. For higher-end wines, Max Bordeaux is the place to go. If you have questions, a wall-mounted iPad offers fact sheets and wine critics’ tasting notes about every single wine, in English. However, no casual seating or food is available. Also, Max Bordeaux closes early in the evening (8 pm).

Pictures: At Max Bordeaux

Restaurant la Terrasse Saint Pierre

7 place Saint Pierre

Still the place to go on a Friday and Saturday evening, is the buzzy St Pierre district in the heart of Old Bordeaux. The historic centre of the city is brimming with shops, restaurants and bars. One of the many restaurants is the Restaurant la Terrasse Saint Pierre. I have never eaten there. I go there for the wine list, which is quite interesting.

Picture: At Restaurant la Terrasse Saint Pierre

Aux Quatres Coins Du Vin

8 Rue de la Devise

Like Max Bordeaux Wine Gallery, wines are also dispensed with the enomatic system and, more like Le Bar a Vin, this cute wine bar offers more affordable wines. Unlike both Le Bar a Vin and Max Bordeaux Wine Gallery, its selection includes also non-Bordeaux wines - 32 different wines: 8 whites, 8 red from Bordeaux, 8 red from other parts of France and 8 red from abroad. In addition, you can always order a bottle from the 130 references wine list. Aux Quatres Coins Du Vin also serves cheese and charcuterie platters, but not a full meal. A hipp, young crowd.

Pictures: At Aux Quatres Coins Du Vin

Wine Lounge

17/19, Place du Palais

A new place.


Pictures: At WineLounge

Login Bar

23 rue du couvent

Tripadvisor: Le concept : comme son nom l'indique le login bar est connecté et chacun passe sa commande grâce à une tablette positionné sur chaque table. Personnellement je préfère les choses traditionnelles mais finalement le fait d'avoir une carte virtuelle permet de se renseigner sur les produits notamment les vins et de passer sa commande rapidement sans attendre le serveur. Le personnel est super accueillant notamment la cuisinière qui apporte elle meme les plats. Super vin super camembert chaud et super charcuterie très fine. Bonne adress.

Picture: Login Bar

La Brasserie Bordelaise

50 rue Saint-Rémi 33000

Antony Peregrine (The Telegraph): On one of the key old streets in the St Pierre district, La Brasserie (5) is the sort of eatery where no one’s sure whether it’s food or conviviality which has the upper hand. The place has barrels as tables, bottles along every wall and the buzz of locals tackling great meat and shellfish as if decibels were desirable. This is not the setting for your romantic dinner à deux – but if you want Bordelais bustle and a sense that you’re at the centre of things, you could do very much worse. There’s also a surprisingly satisfactory wine list, plus a selection of cognacs and armagnacs to satisfy the most exacting.

Picture: La Brasserie Bordelaise

Wine More Time

8 Rue St. James

Wine Shop and Wine Bar

Winerist: With a wine list that changes frequently, Wine More Time is a wine store, a wine bar and a temple to all things wine. Offering a wide range of French wines at reasonable prices, the bar also offers a unique selection of beers and spirits as well as deli plates. With its dedicated tasting space, they offer specialised wine courses and planned tastings and can organize private events.

Picture: At Wine More Time

Le Flacon

43 rue Cheverus

Tom Mullen – Drink like a local in Bordeaux (Forbes): Julien led us into Le Flacon, a deceptively unassuming locale within the city center with hundreds of carefully selected niche wines. Wonderful aromas blew off steaming dishes from the open kitchen, where owners Gilles Davasse and his wife Valerie prepare food. We sipped glasses of Antoine Sanzay Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley and nibbled from a plate of charcuterie, though dishes available range from burgers to crispy pig’s feet. The location is well suited for kicking off an evening of exploring this intriguing city.

Picture: Le Flacon

Le Petit Bois

18, rue du Chai-des-Farines

Oonagh Turner - 10 Best Wine Bars in Old Town Bordeaux: People are drawn to this magical bar for its romantic allure, intimate setting and its fantastic wine list. The décor is original, with a beautiful tree strung with fairy lights in the heart of the bar serving as an artistic centerpiece. Relax with a glass of fine wine on the plush sofas and enjoy the enchanting setting that is dimly lit with gentle candlelight. To complement the wine list, customers can choose from a selection of charcuterie, or the plat du jour.

Pictures: Le Petit Bois

Vins Urbans

27 Rue des Bahutiers

Formerly Vinset, a new wine bar just around the corner of Le Wine Bar.

Trip Advisor: It doesn't look much from the front - a slot in the streetfront. It opens up in the back. Warm welcome from owner, good range of 20+ very good wines by the glass, plus tapas stype snacks.

Pictures: Vins Urbans

Le Boutique Hotel Wine Bar

3 Rue Lafaurie Monbadon

Winerist: A small and cozy bar in the lobby of a Boutique Hotel in the city center, this wine bar is a great experience for the adventurous wine lover. Here also the waiters don’t offer you a menu, rather they ask what type of wine you prefer and bring you a bottle with a hidden label. You then can taste and attempt to discover the varietal, vintage and production area, which isn’t always even in France. In addition, the bar offers tapas and deli plates as well as a garden seating area for the warm summer months.

Picture: Le Boutique Hotel Winebar

Verre o Vin

43 Rue Borie, (Chartrons)

Winerist: Located just down the street from the Wine Museum in Chartrons, Verre o Vin is a small local bar with an amazing offering. Carved into the historic limestone buildings of the city’s ancient wine district, Verre o Vin offers both bottle service and wines by the glass served from Enomatic machines. There is also a small but high quality menu of farm-to-table deli plates and regional items, like foie gras, to accompany your tasting.

Pictures: Verre O Vin

La Ligne Rouge

6 Rue de la Porte Cailhau

Oonagh Turner - 10 Best Wine Bars in Old Town Bordeaux: This bar is a small but homey establishment in the heart of the Bordeaux’s historical district. The wine list is diverse, with over 200 wines hailing from as far afield as the vineyards of South America. There is also a menu featuring a choice of cured meats, cheeses, simple but tasty salads and patés to pick from. The staff are attentive and friendly, carefully explaining the origins of wines and divulging the concept of the wine bar to customers. The barmen are also sure to listen to the requests of the guests, giving the bar an intimate touch.

Pictures: At La Ligne Rouge

Le Point Rouge

1 Quai de Paludate

Tom Mullen – Drink like a local in Bordeaux (Forbes): Opened seven months ago, this spacious and low-lit restaurant and bar differentiates from Bordeaux contenders by fusing an American/English cocktail culture with that of French food and wine. They sell 40 wines by the glass, a thousand by the bottle and over a hundred cocktails. Within this 5,300 square foot building, there are three distinct spaces, each for a separate phase of your visit. Begin with cocktails at the bar, pass to the restaurant for dinner and wine and then ascend stairs for a final digestif or cigar.

Touches of elegance include massive red lights from German designer Ingo Maurer, as well as a display of special Chivas Regal bottles (including one encrusted with dozens of diamonds and sapphires).

Palais de La Truffe

2 Place du Palais

www.petitfute.com: Un nouveau lieu, porte Cailhau, sur la place du Palais, attenant à la cave Art & Vins et créé par Pierre Simoès, voici le Palais de la truffe. Un concept food and wine et piano-bar. Un lieu convivial où l'on se retrouve autour d'un bon verre de vin avec quelques huîtres, des assiettes et des plats (fromage, omelettes...) à base de truffes. Pour le plaisir d'une dégustation entre amis, vous pourrez vous laisser tenter par ces accords mets et vins dans une ambiance chaleureuse. Des soirées à thème, concerts et piano-bar agrémenteront votre repas. Une expérience inoubliable à vivre au Palais de la truffe.

Picture: Palais de La Truffe

L`Oenolimit

2 rue des Ayres

Tripadvisor: … trendy but tasteful little wine bar. Fantastic. Great tapas and wine list to die for. Great ambience. a must if you are in Bordeaux

Picture: Le Oenolimit

Latitude 20

La Cité du Vin

Open daily from 11.30 a.m to 11.30 p.m., Latitude 20 is a wine bar on La Cité du Vin’s ground floor with more than 50 different wines by the glass and a selection of tapas from around the world, a snack bar with a big choice of snacks for any time of day and a worldwide wine cellar with more than 14,000 bottles from more than 80 wine producing countries.

In addition, Restaurant Le 7 is on the 7th floor, with 500 bottles on the menu and 110 seats.

Pictures: At La Cité du Vin

Garopapilles

62 rue Abbé de l’Épée

Before opening Garopapilles, Chef Tanguy Laviale used to be the chef at Haut Bailly.

Tom Mullen – Drink like a local in Bordeaux (Forbes): “The whole place is off the beaten track,” Gaël Morand said inside this modern, airy restaurant with am light streaming through large windows. The Jay Hawkins song “I Put a Spell On You” played as he poured a glass of 2009 Château Marsau from the Côtes de Bordeaux Francs appellation, northeast of Saint Émilion. “Hundred percent Merlot,” he said. “I call it the modern style of Bordeaux. Easy to drink and not looking for power.”

Pictures: At Garopapilles

Morand worked as a diplomat in Paris and Geneva for a decade before deciding to shift to the food and wine scene of Bordeaux. He and chef Tanguy Laviale are business partners running this two-year-old restaurant/wine cellar. The interior seats 24, and there are 15 additional seats on the porch. What differentiates this restaurant is that the menu is fixed (though diners can opt to select their own wines). Visitors generally appreciate being led on this gastronomic discovery. … The wine list includes 500 bottles—80% of them non-Bordeaux, including selections of Muscadet and Beaujolais, and wines from Jura and Alsace. There is also a range of non-French choices.

L’Univerre

40-42 Rue Lecocq

Bar – Restaurant – Wine Shop

Bordeaux expert and Bordeaux City resident Jane Awson recommendation on twitter.

Decanter: L’Univerre Wine Shop opened in April 2014 by Olivier Beyre. The restaurant was already well known for its extensive wine list, but now the bottles are available to buy and take off-premises, with an excellent range from Bordeaux, the Rhône, Burgundy, Germany, Austria… you name it.

The Wine Cellar Insider: L’Univerre known for its extensive wine list of Grand Crus Class wines as well as traditional wines from smaller producers. A more recent arrival to the wine bar scene in Bordeaux, L’Univerre is the brainchild of Fabrice Moisan. His curated menu is short, with well-executed dishes of classic French comfort food paired with an extensive wine list (which is 62 pages long!). While most Bordeaux wine bars stick to Bordeaux, that is not the case here as you can also find wines from the Rhone valley, Burgundy, the Loire as well. In the cellar are older vintage Bordeaux that are priced to sell and Fabrice is open to queries about his other rare bottles.

L'Intendant

2 Allées deTourney

Wine Store

Not a wine bar., but an amazing wine store of 4 levels connected by a single spiral staircase, just next to the Grand Hotel. The collection includes over 15,000 bottles.

Pictures: At L'Intendant

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Schiller’s Favorites

Here is a complete list of Schiller's Favorites:

Europe

Germany

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Würzburg, Franken, Germany
Schiller’s Favorites: 2 Legendary Wine Taverns in Würzburg – Juliusspital and Bürgerspital
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and Wine Taverns in Freiburg, Baden, Germany
Schiller's Favorites: Frankfurt Apple Wine Taverns that Make their own Apple Wine
Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in Sachsen (Saxony), Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Winemakers in the Saale-Unstrut Region, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Trier, Germany
Schiller's Favorite (Wine-) Restaurants in Deidesheim in the Pfalz, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Berlin, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, 2013, Germany
Schiller's Favorite Apple Wine Taverns in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany

France

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and other Wine Venues in Chablis, France
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne
Dinner at a Bouchon - Chez Paul - in Lyon: Schiller’s Favorite Bouchons in Lyon, France
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne, France (2015)
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France (2015)
Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, France
Schiller's Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France, 2014
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France
Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, 2012 France
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux (City) (2012), France

UK, Spain, Austria, Hungary

Schiller's Favorite Winebars in London, UK
Schiller’s Favorite Tapas Bars in Logroño in La Rioja, Spain
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in London, 2012, UK
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Wine Spots in Vienna, Austria
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Budapest, Hungary
Schiller’s Favorite Spots to Drink Wine in Vienna, Austria (2011)

USA

Schiller's Favorite Oyster Bars and Seafood Places in Seattle, Washington State, USA - An Update
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Seattle, USA - An Update
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Austin, Texas, USA
Riesling Crawl in New York City – Or, Where to Buy German Wine in Manhattan: Schiller's Favorite Wine Stores, USA
Schiller's Favorite Oyster Bars and Seafood Places in Seattle, USA (2013)
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Seattle, USA (2013)
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Washington DC, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, 2012, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Charleston, South Carolina, USA (2013)
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in San Francisco, USA
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Places Where You Can Have a Glass of Wine in Healdsburg, California

Asia

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Singapore
Schiller s Favorite Winebars in Beijing, 2014, China

Africa

Schiller's Favorite Wines of Madagascar
Schiller’s 12 Favorite Restaurants of Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar