Following a
Winery Tour and Tasting at Château Dassault with the Managing Director, Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France
we drove over from Saint-Émilion to Pomerol for a gourmet lunch with wine pairing at Château Le Bon Pasteur, hosted by Dany Rolland and General Manager Benoit Prévot. Chef Frédéric Bozzo was in the kitchen.
Before lunch, Dany and Benoit gave us a tour of the estate.
Welcome
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.
Vineyard and Cellar Tour
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 producers in Bordeaux, in Argentina, South Africa (Simonsberg Stellenbosch), and Spain (Toro).
Apéritif
King prawn rolled in bacon
Pieces of Serrano
Toaste of smoled salmon
Toast of foie gras
King prawn rolled in bacon
Mariflor Argentine Mendoza Sauvignon Blanc 2019 (US$19)
From there, we moved to the lunch table.
Ravioli of Langoustines with Chanterelles
Le Blanc de Fontenil (US$21)
Veal Medaillon and its cream of Morels
Château Fontenil 2010 (US$33)
Cheese Selection
Château Le Bon Pasteur (US$153)
Tanzania Dark Chocolate Mousse with Raspberries
Val de Flores 2012 (US$89)
Yacochuya 2013 (US$78)
The Val de Flores vineyard is ten hectares and is planted with Malbec which are more than fifty years old. The vineyard is situated at the foot of the Andean mountains at Vista Flores in South Mendoza. The vineyard soils is alluviums and deep silts. This wine was aged for 14 months in new French oak barrels and bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Coffee with Cannelés
Group Photos
Chef Frédéric Bozzo
The lunch was pepared by Chef Frédéric Bozzo.
Bye-Bye
Many thanks Dany Rolland and Benoit Prévot for a most entertaining event.
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