Sophie Schÿler, Owner, Château Kirwan, Appellation Margaux, Philippe Blanc, General Manager, Château Beychevelle, Appellation Saint-Julien and Annette Schiller, Owner, ombiasy PR and WineTours, for a Winemaker Dinner at the French Embassy, Le Café Descartes, in Washington DC, USA

Pictures: Sophie Schÿler, Owner, Château Kirwan, Appellation Margaux, Philippe Blanc, General Manager, Château Beychevelle, Appellation Saint-Julien and Annette Schiller, Owner, ombiasy PR and WineTours, for a Winemaker Dinner at the French Embassy, Le Café Descartes, in Washington DC, USA

Sophie Schÿler, Owner, Château Kirwan, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé en 1855, and Philippe Blanc, General Manager, Château Beychevelle, Appellation Saint-Julien, 4ième Grand Cru Classé en 1855, were in town (Washington DC) for the annual Heart's Delight Wine Tasting & Auction. They had arranged with Annette Schiller, Found and Owner, ombiasy PR and WineTours, a joint winemaker dinner in Washington DC. Anntte had agreed with Le Café Descartes at the French Embassy in Washington Dc to host the dinner.

Pictures: Having Fun

Inviation

A Special Bordeaux Winemaker Dinner, March, 6th, 2019, 6.30 pm at Le Café Descartes, Ambassade de France in Washington DC, USA

The Café Descartes/ French Embassy in Washington DC and ombiasy PR and WineTours are excited to announce that we are hosting a Bordeaux winemaker dinner on March 6th, 2019 with the wines of Château Kirwan, 3ième Grand Cru Classé en 1855, appellation Margaux, and Château Beychevelle, 4ième Grand Cru Classé en 1855, appellation Saint-Julien.

Picture: Sophie Schÿler, Owner, Château Kirwan, Appellation Margaux, Philippe Blanc, General Manager, Château Beychevelle, Appellation Saint-Julien and Annette Schiller, Owner, ombiasy PR and WineTours, for a Winemaker Dinner at the French Embassy, Le Café Descartes, in Washington DC, USA

Please join us in welcoming owner Sophie Schÿler, who will present the wines of her family estate Château Kirwan and Philip Blanc, Managing Director and winemaker at Château Beychevelle who will present the wines of Château Beychevelle. This is a rare opportunity to taste wines from two prestigious Médoc appellations side by side.

Reserve your seats for this event at $ 159.00 per person (excluding tax and including gratuity) now by contacting Le Café Descartes at (202)944-6075 or via
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chateau-kirwan-and-chateau-beychevelle-at-the-embassy-of-france-tickets-55907599134

Embassy of France, Le Café Descartes
4101 Reservoir Rd NW Washington DC, 20007

Pictures: Checking the Wines

Château Beychevelle

This historic château is one of the largest properties in Bordeaux. The château was constructed in 1565 by Bishop François of Foix-Candale and is well-known as the “Versailles of the Médoc” with its beautiful architecture, exquisite interior, and magnificent park.

See: Tour and Tasting at Château Beychevelle, Appellation Saint-Julien, 4ième Grand Cru Classé, with General Manager Philippe Blanc - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017, France

Pictures: The Historic Château Beychevelle and the New Winery of Château Beychevelle

A sequence of illustrious, noble proprietors enlarged the buildings and made the garden into one of the most spectacular in the Bordelais.

In 1875 Château Beychevelle was purchased by Armand Heine, the cousin of the famous German poet Heinrich Heine, who is best known outside of Germany for his lyric poetry which was set to music by composers such as Robert Schumann and Franz Schubert.

Since 1986 the property belongs to the Grands Millésimes de France. Manager has since been Aymar de Bailleux. A huge renovation project was underway for several years and finished in 2016. The new cellars are surrounded by glass walls.

Pictures: Barrel Cellar Tour

Château Beychevelle has 250 hectares of land, about 90 of which are planted with vines. The rest consists of grassland where Limousin cows graze, and of pine forests, poplar, ash and walnut trees.

The vines have an average age of 30 years and are closely planted, with densities of 8,300 to 10,000 vines per hectare; they have developed substantial root systems, enabling them to draw nutrients from deep in the soil, and to cope with the sometimes difficult weather conditions, such as when there are droughts in the summer.

Pictures: In the Vineyard

The vineyard is planted with the Médoc’s four traditional grape varieties: 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot.

The heart of the vineyard is located on two plateaus of deep Garonne gravel from the Gunzian period, on the edge of the Gironde, providing ideal conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon. These are the famous gravelly hilltops of the Médoc, close to the Gironde, which offer the best conditions for the classic Bordeaux varietals. Returning the sun’s warmth during the night, and draining away excess rain water, the vines are able to flourish and the grapes ripen perfectly. The resulting deep red wines are well-balanced and generous, offering power tempered by a silky texture.

Château Beychevelle’s new winery has been custom-made to suit the vineyard, with every vine having a place in a plot-by-plot vinification process, that enables each terroir to express its full complexity and depth.

More spacious, and with an improved layout, the new facilities also permit a gentle transfer of the grapes by gravity, very precise temperature control, and extractions adjusted to the characteristics of each vat.

Combining innovation and tradition, the winery is a perfect reflection of Château Beychevelle’s “haute-couture” expertise.

Pictures: Tour of the New Winery

Château Beychevelle produces 3 different wines.

Château Beychevelle
Grand Cru Classé

Ever since it was first produced, and down through the various vintages, Château Beychevelle has reflected the elegance and finesse of Saint Julien's finest terroirs.Graceful and complex, with a tremendous aromatic richness, Château Beychevelle is made from the best plots in the vineyard and undergoes a rigorous selection process.It reveals its character after about ten years, and can be kept for several decades, depending on the vintage.

Aging and fining: In French oak barrels for 18 months, with 50% in new oak barrels. The wine is then fined with egg whites, with traditional racking by candle light.

40 000 to 50 000 cases

Amiral de Beychevelle
Château Beychevelle's Second Wine

The rigorous selection process undergone by the grand vin results in the creation of its younger brother, Amiral de Beychevelle.Despite being made from young vines, Amiral de Beychevelle benefits from the same growing techniques, meticulous sorting, and traditional barrel ageing.It has the same elegance and finesse as its older brother, but reveals its character more quickly, offering wine-enthusiasts the full vivacity of its youth. It can be kept for up to fifteen years, depending on the vintage.

Aging and fining: In French oak barrels for 12 months, with 30% in new oak barrels. The wine is then fined with egg whites, with traditional racking by candle light.

Brulières de Beychevelle

Brulières de Beychevelle's 12 hectares of vines are 5 km from Beychevelle's vineyard; being further from the Gironde estuary, they benefit from a cooler climate.The vineyard is in the Haut-Médoc appellation and has been managed organically since 2008.Brulières' blend consists of just two grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.Vinified and aged in a separate winery, it is produced with the same level of care as Château Beychevelle and Amiral de Beychevelle.

Pictures: Tasting with General Manager Philippe Blanc

Château Kirwan

Château Kirwan is a 3ème Cru Classé property in Margaux. It is owned by the Schÿler family.

The history of Château Kirwan begins with the English merchant Sir John Collingwood, one of the first négociants in history. For nearly a century he reigned over the noble "de Lasalle" land, acquired in 1751 and adjoining the Ganet property.

See:
Tour, Tasting and Lunch at Château Kirwan, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Natalie Schyler - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France
Lunch, Tasting and Tour at Château Kirwan, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Natalie Schyler - Bordeaux Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours, France
Sophie Schÿler, Owner of Château Kirwan, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, for a Wine Pairing Luncheon at Evo Bistro in McLean, with the Wines of RdV and Clemens Busch, USA/ France/ Germany

Pictures: In the Vineyard with Natalie Schÿler

Château Kirwan takes its name from the Irishman Mark Kirwan, who became part of the estate's history by marrying one of the daughters of Sir John Collingwood. In 1760 he inherited the estate. He united the "de Lasalle" and Ganet lands. Rather unfortunately, he was guillotined in 1792.

Thomas Jefferson, then Ambassador of the United States in France, visited the Bordeaux vineyards in May 1787. He was not only the future president of the United States, but the greatest emissary of Bordeaux wines. In his travel diary and his book "Jefferson on Wine", he elevated Kirwan wine - then spelled "Quirouen" - to second classified growth, making it much more recognizable on the far shores of the Atlantic.

The heirs of the Kirwan family sold the estate in 1827, in the midst of a severe economic crisis after the upheavals of the Revolution and the First Empire. After a period of instability, the owner of Château Kirwan and mayor of Bordeaux Camille Godard left the estate to the city, which used it for a time as a hotel and reception venue.

Pictures: In the Cellar with Natalie Schÿler

In 1925, it became the property of the Schÿler family, whose family trading house had already been distributing the wine for several years. Since 1950, Jean-Henry Schyler invested heavily in the châteaux and brought Châteaux Kirwan back to its former glory. He passed away in November 2016, a few weeks after our visit.

Jean Henri Schyler was in charge of managing the chateau until he passed away, November, 2016 at the age of 85.

Today the châteaux is managed by the next generation Yann, Natalie and Sophie Schyler.

Pictures: At the Residence of the late Jean-Henry Schÿler.

Last year, Château Kirwan completed a renovation of the winemaking facilities. Importantly, the old stainless steel tanks were replaced by concrete tanks.

The property is located in the commune of Cantenac and consists of a beautiful 18th century château and 35 hectares of vineyards. The wine is typically a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot. The grapes are hand-harvested and then fermented in temperature-controlled, concrete tanks. The wine is then matured in oak barriques (30-50% new) for 18 months. It is bottled after a light fining and filtration. Its second wine is called Les Charmes de Kirwan. Château Kirwan produces on average 16,000 cases per year.

Following the tour and tasting we sat down for a lovely lunch with Natalie Schÿler.

Pictures: Lunch with Natalie Schÿler

Wine-pairing Dinner at Le Café Descartes/ French Embassy in Washington DC, USA

Executive Chef Mark Courseille prepared the following menu matching the food with the earth and fruit profiles of the wines.

Picture: Executive Chef Mark Courseille

Reception

Truffle Charcoal / Smoked Salmon Terrine / Mornay Gougères
Champagne Pierre Mignon Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru (US$42)

Wine-searcher average prices in brackets.

Opening Remakrs

General Manager Max Jacquet welcomed the guests, Annette Schiller introduced the 2 guests of honor and Sophie Schÿler and Philippe Blanc introduced their châteaux.