Forty Five & Vine
Château La Fleur de Boüard
Lalande de Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
Forty Five North Vineyard & Winery
White Blend
My birthday — 8 years ago
Picchetti
Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Zinfandel 2010
Clear medium garnet, Slow long tears, tiny sediment specs in bottom of glass. Wood and dark spiciness on the nose. Dry, Med+ acidity, med tannin. Fresh fruit has faded a bit since release, still has plum & red fruit notes, red grape skins, along with dried fruits (dried cranberry, figs), soil & wood notes (barrel and vine), spiciness in the Chinese five-spice direction. Mature with some years ahead of it. Elegant old vine zin.
California Heritage Vineyard, 2.5 acres planted in 1882, gnarly, head-pruned, dry-farmed non-grafted vines with root system 30-40 feet deep, and is one of the world’s oldest documented Zinfandel vineyards.
http://www.picchetti.com
https://historicvineyardsociety.org — 8 years ago
Château Brane-Cantenac
Grand Cru Classé en 1855 Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
I have a six-pack of this 05. I thought after 10 years in bottle, it would be interesting to check in on its evolution. While tasty, I’ll wait another 8-10 to open another. Even after 2-3 hours in the decanter, it’s still a very young adolescent. On the nose, slightly sour blackberries & dark cherries, dark currants, baked black plum, haunting blue fruits, anise, whiff of spice, steeped tea, dry stones, dry crushed rocks with dry top soil, caramel, vanilla with fresh & dry red florals. The body is thick & full. Tannins are starting to round out. It’s velvety on the palate. The fruits are; bright, fresh & ripe and really show the greatness of the 05 vintage. Dark currants, blackberries, dark cherries, baked black plum, haunting blue fruits, baked strawberries, cherries, raspberries on the long set, dark spice, clay & loamy dry top soil with crushed rocks, dry stones, cigar with ash, graphite, dry stems, slight herbaceous character, mint, used leather, clove, caramel, vanilla, fresh & dry red florals with violets. The round acidity is about perfect. The structure and length are still strong. The balance is in harmony. As for the long finish, it’s lush, ruby, rich and well polished. Photos of; Chateau Brane Cantenac, large wood vats, Henri Lurton and Estate vines. Producer notes and history...Chateau Brane Cantenac began in the early 17th century. At the time, the estate was known as Domaine Guilhem Hosten. Even that far back, wine was produced from the property. In fact, the wine was so highly regarded it was one of the more expensive wines in Bordeaux. It sold for almost as much money as Brane Mouton. This is interesting because of who went on to buy the vineyard in the 1800’s. The Baron of Brane, also known as “Napoleon of the Vineyards”, purchased the Chateau in 1833. At the time of the sale, the estate was called Chateau Gorce-Guy. To get the funds needed to purchase the Margaux vineyard, the Baron sold what is now called Mouton Rothschild, which was at the time of the sale, known as Chateau Brane-Mouton. Not such a good move with hundreds of years in hindsight! In 1838, the Baron renamed property taking his name and the name of the sector where the vineyards were located and called it Chateau Brane Cantenac. The Chateau later passed to the Roy family, who were well-known in the Margaux appellation in those days, as they owned Chateau d’issan. Moving ahead to 1920, the Societe des Grands Crus de France, a group of merchants and growers that owned several chateaux located in the Medoc including; Chateau Margaux, Chateau Giscours, and Chateau Lagrange in St. Julien, purchased Chateau Brane Cantenac. Five years later, M. Recapet and his son-in-law, François Lurton, took over Brane Cantenac along with Chateau Margaux. Lucien Lurton (the son of François Lurton) inherited Brane Cantenac in 1956. Today, the estate is still in the hands of the Lurton family. Brane Cantenac is owned and run by Henri Lurton. After being given the responsibility of managing Brane Cantenac, it was under the direction of Henri Lurton that large portions of the vineyard were replanted. Vine densities were increased, the drainage systems were improved and the plantings were also, slowly changed. The vineyard of Brane Cantenac is planted to 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc and .5% Carmenere. Carmenere was used for the first time in the 2011 vintage. The only other Chateau I know that still uses Carmenere is Clerc Milon. The 75 hectare Left Bank vineyard of Brane Cantenac is essentially unchanged since it earned Second Growth status in the 1855 Classification. At least that is the case with the 45 hectares used to produce the Grand Vin of Brane Cantenac. Those 45 hectares are planted surrounding the Chateau. Those vines are located just in front of the Cantenac plateau and are the best terroir that Brane Cantenac owns. They have other parcels, which are further inland and much of those grapes are placed into their second wine, Le Baron de Brane. Those additional hectares can be divided into 3 main sections. Behind the Chateau, they have 15 hectares of vines on gravel and sand, 10 hectares across the road with sand, gravel and iron and a 13 hectare parcel with gravel called Notton, which is used for their second wine. The vineyard is planted to a vine density that ranges from 6,666 vines per hectare on the plateau and up to 8,000 vines per hectare for the vines located behind chateau, in their sandier soils. The higher levels of vine density are always found in the newer plantings. The terroir of Brane Cantenac consists of deep gravel, sand and clay soil. Experiments in the vineyards are currently looking at becoming more organic in their vineyard management. Today, more than 25% of Brane Cantenac is farmed using organic farming techniques. It is expected that over time, the amount of hectares farmed with organic methods will be increased. Brane Cantenac has gone through 2 relatively recent modernization’s in 1999, when they added began adding the first of their smaller vats to allow for parcel by parcel vinification and then again in 2015 when they completed a much more complete renovation of their cellars and vat rooms. While Brane Cantenac is a traditional producer, they are no stranger to technology as they were one of the first estates to embrace optical grape sorting machines. In very wet vintages, they can also use reverse osmosis. To produce the wine of Chateau Brane Cantenac, the wine is vinified in a combination of temperature controlled, traditional, 22 oak vats, 18 concrete tanks and 20 stainless steel vats that vary in size from 40 hectoliters all the way up to 200 hectoliters, which allows for parcel by parcel vinification. 40% of the fermentation takes place in the oak vats. The oldest vines are vinified in vats that are selected to allow for separate parcel by parcel vinification. The younger vines are vinified more often together in the same vats. However, the Carmenere is entirely micro-vinified, meaning that those grapes were completely vinified in barrel, using micro-vinification techniques. This can also happen because the amount of grapes produced is so small. Some vats can be co-inoculated, meaning they go through alcoholic fermentation and malolactic fermentation simultaneously. At Chateau Brane Cantenac, malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of French oak tanks and barrels. The wine of Brane Cantenac is aged in an average of 60% new, French oak barrels for 18 months before bottling. The initial 2 months of aging is done with the wine on its lees, which adds more depth to the wine. There second wine is Le Baron de Brane. Le Baron de Brane is not new. In fact, previously, the second wine went under the name of Chateau Notton, which took its name from one of the main parcels where the grapes were planted. During the late 1950’s and into the 1960’s, having a second wine was important as the estate declassified 3 vintages, due to extremely poor, weather conditions in 1956, 1960 and 1963. Production of Chateau Brane Cantenac is about 11,000 cases per year. — 8 years ago
Forty Five North Vineyard & Winery
Peach Crémant White Blend
Good for a glass or two. Sweet — 10 years ago
Château Duhart Milon
Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot Blend 2006
The 06 vintage was more highly praised by the Bordelais than it delivered. That’s not to say, some producers didn’t deliver.
This 06 is not at its peak...still needs a few years. Will it be a wine that blows you away? Not likely but, it will deliver nice fruit, earth & balance. Especially, with a Ribeye.
The nose shows; ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, baked strawberries, dry cranberries & some black plum. Saddle-wood, limestone minerals, dry stones, cinnamon, soft spice, light vanilla, black rich earth, touch of black licorice and red & dark fresh florals.
The body is round and a little lean but puts on weight with food and decanting. The structure, length & tension are falling into place. The fruits are ripe and expressive. Blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, baked strawberries, haunting blue fruits, dry cranberries & some black plum. Saddle-wood, touch herbaceous, mint, limestone minerals, dry clay, dry stones, cinnamon, soft spice, cola, light vanilla, black rich earth, touch of black licorice and red & dark fresh florals. The acidity is round and beautiful. The finish is on the leaner side but, well balanced and lasts a full minute. 9.1 without the Ribeye, 9.2 with it.
Photos of, Duhart Milon, Cabernet ready to to be pressed, wine making facilities and their barrel room.
Producer history and notes...the Rothschild family is divided into two sects for lack of a better word. There are the ones that own Mouton Rothschild and Cleric Milon etc. and the other owns Lafite and Duhart. The two sides of the families don’t necessarily get along. However, they are two of the oldest/wealthiest families in recorded history.
Duhart Milon was originally known only as Chateau Milon. At one time the estate was the second wine of Chateau Lafite.
The story about how this came to be is interesting. The owner of Lafite at that time was the Marquis Nicolas-Alexandre de Segur. King Louis XV called him “The Wine Prince” because of his extensive vineyard holdings in Bordeaux. The Milon vineyards were well regarded but, not as good as Lafite, which is how the wine came to be thought of as the second wine for Lafite.
In 1815, the property was considered by some people as a fourth growth Bordeaux wine in the making. In those days, the wine was sold under the name of Chateau Mandavy-Milon. Between 1830 and 1840, the Casteja family inherited the estate.
The label of Duhart Milon, according to family tradition came about from an old legend written about one of their ancestors, Sir Duhart. Sir Duhart, was rumored to have been a pirate for Louis XV. He retired in Pauillac. The “Pirate’s House” on the Pauillac port existed up to the 1950’s. That original building inspired the label for the Duhart-Milon wines.
The Casteja family remained in possession of Duhart Milon until the first part of the 20th century. At the time, Chateau Duhart Milon was one of larger Pauillac estates with around 50 hectares of vines.
In 1937, the result of successive inheritances led to the sale of Duhart Milon. The Left Bank property went through five different owners in just 25 years. As well, the vineyards were split up and with the frost of 1956, the quality of Duhart Milon continued declining until the Rothschild family purchased the property in 1962.
At that time of the sale, Chateau Duhart Milon included 110 hectares of land, of which only 17 hectares were planted with vines. The entire vineyard was in desperate need of replanting. Major renovations were urgently needed in the vineyards, which demanded work on the drainage and replanting.
The size of their vineyards were also increased with the purchase of other parcels adding to the size of their Medoc holdings. New cellars needed to be built as well.
Chateau Duhart Milon remains one of the few 1855 Classified Growth estates without an actual Chateau. At Duhart, all you will find are the cellars, vatting rooms and barrel storages.
During the period of 1970 to 2000, the vineyards nearly doubled in size! Additionally, they constructed new cellars, renovated and modernized their wine making facilities as well in 2003. By 2008, the wine of Duhart Milon increased in quality, stature and price.
Much of the price increase had to do with the association with Chateau Lafite Rothschild, which had by that time, become the most in-demand, collectible wine in China. By the time the 2015 vintage was offered, prices had dropped to a more affordable price level due to changes in Chinese laws regarding client gifts/bribes.
The 152 hectare vineyard of Chateau Duhart Milon includes; 76 hectares of vines planted to 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Merlot. This makes Chateau Duhart Milon one of the few 1855 Classified Growths with only two grape varieties planted in their vineyards.
The average age of the vines are 30 years old. The vineyard is planted to a vine density of 7,500 vines per hectare.
Duhart Milon vineyards are located in northern Pauillac, on the western side of Chateau Lafite Rothschild, on the Milon hillside, which is not far from the Carruades plateau...now Lafite’s second wine. This places the vineyard quite close to Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Chateau Clerc Milon. However, because of micro climates, this is a slightly cooler terroir, due to its northern exposure.
The naturally cooler soils provides more freshness to the wine, and allows for later picking. The terroir of Chateau Duhart Milon is a combination of gravel, sand and limestone soils. The Duhart Milon vineyards are unique in Pauillac, as the vines are for the most part, located in 1 single, large parcel.
The vinification of Chateau Duhart Milon takes place in temperature controlled stainless vats. Malolactic fermentation takes place in vat. Chateau Duhart Milon is then aged in an average of 50% new French oak barrels for 14 to 16 months, depending on the vintage.
There is a second wine, Moulin de Duhart, that was created in 1986. There is also a third wine produced by the estate, Baron de Milon. — 8 years ago
Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7
I only drink wines that taste like Patent leather, soft leather is for sissy’s,😬Concrete
Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel
The dense cork and the five year old vintage had me worried for no reason. This is classic big Cali fruit with a mild old vine structure. Blackberries on a cudgel with a long, welcome finish. Delicious by any measure! — 8 years ago
Klinker Brick
Old Ghost Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel 2008
Really like this Winery. Classic label. Cork good shape. Great color pouring out of the bottle. Deep cherry color. Strong dark fruit with strong flavor with tannins. Would to see if this could stand up to another five plus year. — 9 years ago
Forty Five North Vineyard & Winery
Rosé of Cabernet Franc
Up north 2016. Really enjoyed this! — 9 years ago
Domaine Georges Roumier
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2002
Four hours and forty five minutes of air using Audoze method followed by 45 minutes in the decanter. Likely overkill perhaps an hour less on Audoze method. Beautifully balanced. — 9 years ago
Forty Five North Vineyard & Winery
Select Harvest Riesling
Love this! — 9 years ago
Ca' del Grifone
From Old Vine Zinfandel Primitivo
The cut in price, (under five dollars) is not matched equally with a drop in taste/quality. A bargain at Trader Joe's for what is genetically the same thing as Zinfandel. This one is not quite as bold - and on the lighter side, ...but plenty of good from beginning to end. — 9 years ago
Domaines Bunan
Chateau La Rouviere Bandol Mourvedre Blend 2006
This 06 still needed nearly two hours to open up. The fruit was nice but the earth and dark minerals needed time to calm down. The blue fruits were good throughout just over powered by dark earth and minerals until an hour forty-five in the decanter. — 10 years ago
Bedrock Wine Co.
Ode to Lulu California Old Vine Rosé Blend 2011
A warm Bastille Day, and I don’t own any French Rosé. An homage is the next best thing, and this was good one. Yes, 2011. Don’t ask me why I didn’t open this five years ago, but there it was. Still a little CO2 on opening and more salmon colored than pink. Reticent on the nose, but nice watermelon, orange zest and acidity on the palate. Wonderful with twice fried chicken wings. Still have a couple of the ‘12s and hope they show as well. — 8 years ago
Château Lynch-Bages
Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2000
The 2000 is delicious but, it is evolving at a glacial pace. Out of magnum.
On the nose, touch of barnyard, glycerin, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, plum, strawberries & cherries. Vanilla, dry clay, limestone, river stones, just a touch of pyrazines & bandaid, dark,,turned, moist earth, dry grass and dry & fresh dark florals.
The body is full, round & sexy. Dry softened, sweet tannins. ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, plum, strawberries & cherries. Vanilla, dry clay, limestone, river stones, just a touch of pyrazines & bandaid, fresh tobacco leaf, saddle-wood, dry underbrush, dark, turned, moist earth, dry grass and dry & fresh dark florals. The acidity is magnificent. The structure, tension, length and balance are sensational. The finish is drop dead gorgeous. I’d still hold mine another 5 years as long as you have 3-4 bottles for more 5 year increments.
Photos of, their Estate vines, Clyde Beffa-Owner of K&L Wine Merchants, Owner of Chateau Lynch Bages - Jean-Michel Cazes, guests of the dinner and a sunset view from their Estate.
Producer notes and history...Lynch Bages takes its name from the local area where the Chateau is located in Bages. The vineyard of what was to become Lynch Bages was established and then expanded by the Dejean family who sold it in 1728 to Pierre Drouillard.
In 1749, Drouillard bequeathed the estate to his daughter Elizabeth, the wife of Thomas Lynch. This is how the estate came to belong to the Lynch family, where it remained for seventy-five years and received the name Lynch Bages. However, it was not always known under that name.
For a while the wines were sold under the name of Jurine Bages. In fact, when the estate was Classified in the 1855 Classification of the Medoc, the wines were selling under the name of Chateau Jurine Bages. That is because the property was owned at the time by a Swiss wine merchant, Sebastien Jurine.
In 1862, the property was sold to the Cayrou brothers who restored the estate’s name to Chateau Lynch family.
Around 1870, Lou Janou Cazes and his wife Angelique were living in Pauillac, close to Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron. It was here that Jean-Charles Cazes, the couple’s second son, was born in 1877.
In the 1930’s, Jean-Charles Cazes, who was already in charge of Les-Ormes-de-Pez in St. Estephe agreed to lease the vines of Lynch Bages. By that time, the Cazes family had history in Bordeaux dating back to the second half of the nineteenth century.
This agreement to take over Lynch Bages was good for both the owner and Jean Charles Cazes. Because, the vineyards had become dilapidated and were in need of expensive replanting, which was too expensive for the owner. However, for Cazes, this represented an opportunity, as he had the time, and the ability to manage Lynch Bages, but he lacked the funds to buy the vineyard.
Jean-Charles Cazes eventually purchased both properties on the eve of the Second World War. Lynch Bages and Les-Ormes-de-Pez have been run by the Cazes family ever since. In 1988, the Cazes family added to their holdings in Bordeaux when they purchased an estate in the Graves region, Chateau Villa Bel Air.
Around 1970, they increased their vineyards with the purchase of Haut-Bages Averous and Saussus. By the late 1990’s their holdings had expanded to nearly 100 hectares! Jean-Michel Cazes who had been employed as an engineer in Paris, joined the wine trade in 1973. In a short time, Jean Michel Cazes modernized everything at Lynch Bages.
He installed a new vat room, insulated the buildings, developing new technologies and equipment, built storage cellars, restored the loading areas and wine storehouses over the next fifteen years. During that time period, Jean Michel Cazes was the unofficial ambassador of not just the Left Bank, but all of Bordeaux. Jean Michel Cazes was one of the first Chateau owners to begin promoting their wine in China back in 1986.
Bages became the first wine sent into space, when a French astronaut carried a bottle of 1975 Lynch Bages with him on the joint American/French space flight!
Beginning in 1987, Jean-Michel Cazes joined the team at the insurance company AXA, who wanted to build an investment portfolio of quality vineyards in the Medoc, Pomerol, Sauternes, Portugal and Hungary.
Jean-Michel Cazes was named the director of the wine division and all the estates including of course, the neighboring, Second Growth, Chateau Pichon Baron.
June 1989 marked the inauguration of the new wine making facilities at Lynch Bages, which was on of their best vintages. 1989 also marked the debut of the Cordeillan- hotel and restaurant where Sofia and I had one of our best dinners ever. A few years after that, the Village de Bages with its shops was born.
The following year, in 1990, the estate began making white wine, Blanc de Lynch Bages. In 2001, the Cazes family company bought vineyards in the Rhone Valley in the Languedoc appellation, as well as in Australia and Portugal. They added to their holdings a few years later when they purchased a vineyard in Chateauneuf du Pape.
In 2006, Jean-Charles Cazes took over as the managing director of Chateau Lynch Bages. Jean-Michel Cazes continues to lead the wine and tourism division of the family’s activities. Due to their constant promotion in the Asian market, Chateau Lynch Bages remains one of the strongest brands in the Asian market, especially in China.
In 2017, Chateau Lynch Bages began a massive renovation and modernization, focusing on their wine making, and technical facilities. The project, headed by the noted architects Chien Chung Pei and Li Chung Pei, the sons of the famous architect that designed the glass pyramid for the Louvre in Paris as well as several other important buildings.
The project will be completed in 2019. This includes a new grape, reception center, gravity flow wine cellar and the vat rooms, which will house at least, 80 stainless steel vats in various sizes allowing for parcel by parcel vinification.
The new cellars will feature a glass roof, terraces with 360 degree views and completely modernized reception areas and offices. They are not seeing visitors until it’s completion.
In March, 2017, they purchased Chateau Haut Batailley from Françoise Des Brest Borie giving the Cazes family over 120 hectares of vines in Pauillac!
The 100 hectare vineyard of Lynch Bages is planted to 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The vineyard has a terroir of gravel, chalk and sand soils.
The vineyard can be divided into two main sections, with a large portion of the vines being planted close to the Chateau on the Bages plateau. At their peak, the vineyard reaches an elevation of 20 meters. The other section of the vineyard lies further north, with its key terroir placed on the Monferan plateau.
They also own vines in the far southwest of the appellation, next Chateau Pichon Lalande, on the St. Julien border, which can be used in the Grand Vin. The vineyard can be split into four main blocks, which can be further subdivided into 140 separate parcels.
The average age of the vines is about 30 years old. But they have old vines, some of which are close to 90 years old.
The vineyards are planted to a vine density of 9,000 vines per hectare. The average age of the vines is about 30 years old. But they have old vines, some of which are close to 90 years old.
Lynch Bages also six hectares of vine are reserved for the production of the white Bordeaux wine of Chateau Lynch Bages. Those vines are located to the west of the estate. They are planted to 53% Sauvignon Blanc, 32% Semillon and 15% Muscadelle. On average, those vines are about 20 years of age. Lynch Bages Blanc made its debut in 1990.
To produce the wine of Chateau Lynch Bages, vinification takes place 35 stainless steel vats that vary in size. Malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of 30% French, oak barrels with the remainder taking place in tank.
The wine of Chateau Lynch Bages is aged in an average of 70% new, French oak barrels for between 12 and 15 months. Due to the appellation laws of Pauillac, the wine is sold as a generic AOC Bordeaux Blanc, because Pauillac does not allow for the plantings of white wine grapes.
For the vinification of their white, Bordeaux wine, Blanc de Lynch-Bages is vinified in a combination of 50% new, French oak barrels, 20% in one year old barrels and the remaining 30% is vinified in vats. The wine is aged on its lees for at least six months. The white wine is sold an AOC Bordeaux wine.
The annual production at Lynch Bages is close to 35,000 cases depending on the vintage.
The also make a 2nd wine, which was previously known as Chateau Chateau Haut Bages Averous. However, the estate changed its name to Echo de Lynch Bages beginning with the 2007 vintage. The estate recently added a third wine, Pauillac de Lynch-Bages.
— 8 years ago
Forty Five Wines
Pinot Noir 2011
Outstanding Willamette Pinot. Cola, cherry, wet earth, and a surprising amount of tannin. — 9 years ago
Five Branches
California Pinot Noir
Clean crisp smooth vine. My new favorite vino — 10 years ago
Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
The nose reveals, dark currants, ripe, slightly liqueur; blackberries, black plum, dark cherries, black raspberries, charred strawberries, hints of cooked rhubarb and raspberries. Mixed berry licorice/cola, anise, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, touch clove, steeped fruit tea, herbaceous notes, leather, tobacco, charcoal, wood shavings, limestone minerals, dry stones, a little forest floor, dark fresh florals, lavender & violets.
The body is round, lush with some dusty tannins on the long set. It’s really beautiful right now but, there is still better things ahead over the next 5-8 years before it peaks. It’s silky & satiny. The structure, length, tension and balance are really starting to hit its stride. Dark currants, ripe, slightly liqueur; blackberries, black plum, dark cherries, black raspberries, plum, charred strawberries, hints of cooked rhubarb and raspberries. Mixed berry licorice/cola, anise, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, touch clove, mocha powder, medium dark spice, steeped fruit tea, herbaceous notes, mint, expresso roast, leather, cedar, limestone minerals, dry stones, crushed dry rock & clay, a little forest floor, dark fresh florals, lavender & violets. The acidity is round & beautiful...really shows the greatness of the vintage. The finish is; lush, rich, ripe, elegant, well balanced, polished and quite persistent.
Photos of, Chateau La Fleur de Bouard, the tops of the stainless steel tanks that flow by gravity into the tanks that hang from the other side of the floor/ceiling and their Merlot vines.
I think this was under $35 when I bought it in futures.
Producer history & notes...Chateau La Fleur de Bouard was started by Hubert de Bouard, the owner of Chateau Angelus and Chateau Bellevue in St. Emilion. Hubert de Bouard purchased the vineyard from in 1998. This is a relatively new wine, as the first year for the wine was produced with the 2000 vintage.
Chateau La Fleur de Bouard is produced from a specific a two hectare parcel of old vines that are around 45 years of age, situated on the Lalande de Pomerol Plateau. The vineyard for Chateau La Fleur de Bouard Le Plus is planted to 100% old vine Merlot.
In 2011, La Fleur de Bouard completed a multi-year, top to bottom reconstruction of their entire wine making making facilities and the chateau, making this one of the most modern estates in the Right Bank. The most striking new feature is their hanging, reverse, conical, stainless steel vats as shown in my photos.
The production of La Fleur de Bouard sees a five day cold soak at 10 degrees Celsius and a four-week maceration in “OVNI” stainless steel tanks. The wine is vinified in a combination of stainless steel vats and short, squat shaped oak barrels. The wine receives regular pigeages.
Malolactic fermentation takes place in 100% new, French oak barrels from four different coopers, Taransaud (40%), Demptos (40%), Darnajou (15%) and Vicard (5%). Aging sur lies takes place in 100% new, French oak barrels for an estimated 33 months prior to bottling. The wine requires collaring time for the oak to fully integrate into the wine, and for the secondary notes to develop. — 8 years ago