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Archive for the ‘French Red’ Category

The bell tower @ Ch Angelus

Posted in Bordeaux, French Red, Wine Tour, tagged , , , on August 29, 2013| Leave a Comment »

ImageWhat is marketing? Ch Angelus is definitely a master of this!

Angelus means Angel in Latin, but there wasn’t any bell tower to back the nickname of the label.  So why the reference to bell tower?   The legend is the workers in the field could hear bells from three churches around the Chateau during the day reminding them to pray.

In 2012 Ch Angelus was promoted to Grand Cru Classe A in the St Emilion classification with the ranks of Cheval Blanc and Ausone.  In celebration of the promotion, the Chateau is undergoing a massive renovation with a bell tower to live up to their nickname finally. (more…)

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The Missing Vintage

Posted in French Red, Wine Tastings, Wine Tour on July 21, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Le Pin

Le Pin

We learnt a few interesting facts about Le Pin from the young Monsieur Thienpont.

Le Pin is Le Pin, never Chateau Le Pin because it is truly a very small house in the middle of the vineyard, never an extravagant Chateau.  So the label is always Le Pin.

It is a relatively young vineyard and the first vintage is 1970.  You will never find a legendary 1961 Le Pin.

Then the missing vintage – 2003!  The year that the heat wave hit Europe, temperature was over 40C.  They did not produce the vintage, as it would not live up to the heart and soul of the cult wine.

Not that I could afford a bottle, but in case you find a 2003, then you’ll know!

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Le Pin @ Pomerol

Posted in French Red, Wine Tastings, Wine Tour, tagged , , , on July 10, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Le Pin_ pine tree

Le Pin stands for the Pine Tree at the Vineyard

Standing on the rooftop of the newly built Le Pin, the young Monsieur Thienpont pointed to the two pine trees in front of the house, still standing tall as the symbol of the vineyard after the renovation.

We walked around the rooftop, probably less than 200 sq ft, and counted the rows of vines that are part of Le Pin.  It is indeed a small vineyard even in St Emilion, only 2 hectares producing 5,000 bottles a year.  There are 7 plots of fields that will go through the fermentation process in 7 separate stainless steel vats after harvest.

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Bordeaux with style … Cos d’Estournel

Posted in Bordeaux, French Red, Wine Tour, tagged , , , on July 9, 2013| Leave a Comment »

ImageAfter the third visit to Bordeaux in four years, one could easily tell the money is pouring in from many wine connoisseurs, and the Chateaus are competing to build the most extravagant estate with this newfound wealth.

Of all the vineyards we visited during this trip, I was most surprised with the visit at Cos.  (more…)

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It’s Hard Work

Posted in Burgundy, French Red, Wine Tour, tagged , , on July 7, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Maison Ambroise’s Cellar

Politics is not a subject I like to touch upon when I am in someone else’s homeland.

On our second day at Burgundy, we joined a day tour to visit 4 vineyards with a private guide, Brigitte.  When she asked if we have followed the politics in France and what do we think of their new President, all we said was “ what do you think? “

The domains we visited were very small; it was like visiting someone’s backyard with a cellar.   Maison Ambroise in Nuit St George was one of the domains we visited on the day. (more…)

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Backyard of Domaine De La Vougeraie, Burgundy

Posted in Burgundy, French Red, Wine Tour, tagged , , , , on July 3, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Oak wood from nearby forest

Of the seven domaines we visited in Burgundy, this must be the most modern and supplicated of all.   The visit was arranged through BBR and to be worthy of BBR, probably have to reach some standard, meaning quality and quantity.

We were greeted by the assistant wine maker, Didier, whom gave up his well-paid job as an Engineer and followed his heart to become a winemaker.

After touring the fermentation facility, we were out in the garden.  It was quite amazing to see oak woods piling up in the backyard.  Well, apparently there is an oak wood forest nearby and the Domaine will select 200-year oak tree for the oak barrels.  The woods will pile up in the backyard, rain or shine, for two years. (more…)

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Barrel tastings @ Domaine Rossignol-Trapet, Burgundy

Posted in French Red, Wine Tastings, Wine Tour, tagged , on July 2, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Most of the domains in Burgundy are still family owned and quite small.  On average the domains own about 6 to 8 hectares of land, producing roughly 30,000 bottles a year.

It is rare for one domain to own the whole parcel of vineyard.

When Sylvia at Domaine Rossignol-Trapet told us they started biodynamic in 1997 and finally received the certification in 2008, I wondered how they could control the quality? If the domain does not own all the vines, what if the vines next to yours are spread with chemicals? (more…)

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Les Amoureuses of Chambolle Musigny

Posted in French Red, Pinot Noir, Restaurants, tagged , , , on June 30, 2012| Leave a Comment »

ImageWe found the restaurant Le Pre aux Clercs in the Place de la Liberation in Dijon from the French restaurant guide, Gault Millau. We didn’t exactly pay much attention to what the food was, nor the significance of the venue, we had simply picked it according to the rating from the book.

The restaurant was empty when we arrived at 7:20pm for our 7:30pm reservation. The woman, obviously the proprietor simply said, “oui, tout a fait, a tout a l’heure,” basically telling us to come back later. However, our persistent pleas to have a drink beforehand resulted in a nice table on the terrace overlooking the plaza.

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The mystery of Burgundy … terrior

Posted in Burgundy, French Red, Wine Tour, tagged , , , on June 30, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Burgundy wines are probably the most confusing regions to understand.  Some said the word ‘terrior’ comes from this region, and the wine makers I met in Burgundy all said so!

Driving through the vineyards of Burgundy is so much different from Bordeaux.  Bordeaux is very flat and the vineyards stretch miles and miles away.  In Burgundy, there are small parcels of land along both sides of the road.  On one side the land is flat but then the other side is quite hilly. (more…)

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Bordeaux 1961 Tasting

Posted in Bordeaux, French Red, Wine Tastings, tagged , , on June 18, 2011| Leave a Comment »

What makes a great vintage?  In 1961, one of the greatest vintages in the 20th century, it was down to nature and wine making; modern technology definitely didn’t play a role.

Nature took its course and pruning happened naturally.  A very wet August followed with a sunny September produced small concentrated grapes with thick skins.  The end results were complex, aromatic and tannic wines with long aging potentials.

“But then,” the instructor Stephen Mack added, “the wines are 50 years old and let’s hope they are still drinkable!” (more…)

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