Innholdsfortegnelse for Spring 2021 i VertdeVin Wine Magazine

Château Gazin is a family owned and operated winery of Pomerol, located in the eponymous village. This estate has been in the hands of the De Bailliencourt family since the beginning of the 20th century. It was bought in 1918 by Louis Soualle, great-grandfather of the current owners, wine merchants from the North of France. Gazin is famous for the quality of its production since a long time. The old village of Gazin already appeared on the Belleyme wine map in the 18th century. More generally, some writings attest to the creation of the Pomerol vineyard by the Knights of Maltes, of Saint John of Jerusalem and of Rhodes. For the “anecdote”, the current chateau may be located on the old site of the “Hospital de Pomeyrols” built by the…

The new generation, between traditions and modernity, creates delicious Japanese sakés. Can you talk about your Kura: its history and story ? Hiroshima, the world-known peace-memorial city, has another face. Throughout it’s history it has been well-known for sake production. In 1916, the Umeda brothers – Sawajiro and Naojiro – founded a sake brewery in the east of Hiroshima-City. They named their product ”Honshu-Ichi”, which means ”the best in Japan”. More than 100 years later we are producing easy enjoyable and familiar Sake, with products from Hiroshima. Our Sake has often won medals in international Sake competitions, such as IWC and Kura-Master. Where does the name Umeda Shuzojo come from ? “Umeda” is our family-name. And “Shuzojo” means “brewery”. This brewery is just a small company and a family business,…

BROUILLY Château de Fouilloux – Belairissime 2019 Brouilly The nose is fruity and offers a fine concentration. It reveals notes of Bigarreau cherry, blackberry and small notes of violet associated with touches of spices, plum as well as a hint of fresh leather and spices. The palate is fruity, well-balanced and offers a juicy / acidulous frame as well as suavity. On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy / juicy Bigarreau cherry, pulpy / juicy red berries and small notes of violet associated with touches of cherry blossoms, juicy / fresh blackberry as well as small hints of sweet spices and an imperceptible hint of cocoa. Tannins are well-built. Presence of a very discreet varietal hint on the finish / persistence. Score: 14.75/20 (88-89/100) Maison Jambon – Les…

MÉDOC Château Prieuré de Blaignan 2018 Médoc The nose is fruity and offers a small power. It reveals notes of crunchy blackberry, iris and small notes of fresh violet associated with fine touches of cassis, rose as well as a hint of pepper and a subtle hint of zan. The palate is fruity, well-balanced and offers an acidulous frame, juiciness, a small tension, balance, juiciness and a fine crunchiness. On the palate this wine expresses notes of crunchy/juicy raspberry, small red berries and small notes of violet associated with a touch of crunchy cassis as well as a hint of cassis leaf, raspberry leaf as well as a subtle hint of toasted/sweet spices. Good length. Score: 14.75+/20 (89/100) Château Carmenère 2018 Médoc The nose is fruity and offers gourmandize as…

BORDEAUX BLANCS Château Laurence 2018 Bordeaux Blanc The nose is fruity and offers a beautiful freshness as well as minerality and a small chiseled side. It reveals notes of fresh apple, juicy/fleshy peach and small notes of zests associated with touches of orange as well as a hint of yuzu and a very discreet hint of white flowers. The palate is beautifully fresh, mineral and offers juiciness, sapidity, a small fullness, a beautiful tension, energy, a fine straightness and a small fat due to the bâtonnage. On the palate this wine expresses notes of juicy/fresh apple, crunchy pear and small notes of fleshy peach associated with touches of quenette, yuzu, zests as well as a hint of carambola and a subtle hint of white flowers. Good length. A very discreet…

Château Cantenac Brown is a 3rd Grand Cru Classé located in the commune of Cantenac, in the appellation Margaux. The winery is well known to wine lovers as being a good and reliable value for Médoc! The property which extends over 95 hectares consists of a charming and unique Tudor castle, an English garden, a nature reserve of 14 hectares and a vineyard of 53 hectares. It was created in 1806 by John-Lewis Brown, a Scotsman who immigrated to Bordeaux for the wine trade. He decided to give him this architectural style to remind him of his native Scotland. Château Cantenac Brown was bought in December 2019 by Tristan Le Lous. He recently unveiled an ambitious plan for the future: a unique winery designed by architect Philippe Madec, which will…

Barboursville Vineyards is one of the most iconic wineries of the Virginia state. It was created in 1976 by Gianni Zonin, descendant of an old italien winegrowers family who started to work vines at the beginning of the 19th century. The winery was created in place of the previous estate of James Barbour, who was a former governor of Virginia in the early 1810s’. Barboursville Vineyards extends over 364 hectares (900 acres) of which 180 are planted with vines and is located in the Southwest Mountains (Virginia Piedmont) region. Its vineyard, which is located between 150 and 250 meters above sea level, offers a beautiful range of terroirs mainly composed of different types of clay, alluvial deposits and limestone. Let’s go with us to meet Luca Paschina, the passionate winegrower…

Similar to the hype on New World wines and regions, the same is also happening inside the European boundaries. The term new old world is now a thing to recognized emerging, once smaller regions in old world countries that are now making waves and showing their true potential. For Spanish wines, this newcomer is certainly Bierzo with its rich history, past, unique style and classic local varietals. Cloistered in the northwestern extremity of Castilla-y-Leon, close to the Galician border, Bierzo has many aspects to brag about, but surely its shining light’s the excellent potential of Mencía. Not exclusive to Spain, as it can be found in Portugal under the synonym Jaen, it’s a rather fresh, rich-flavored, high quality wines with the ability to exhibit earthy, vegetal characters with red berry…

Quinta Dona Mafalda Touriga Nacional 2018 Douro The nose is fresh, fruity and racy. There are notes of small wild berries, cassis and small notes of violet associated with touches of small black fruits, wild strawberries, hints of local grove, olive leaf, plum, plum blossom as well as discreet hints of tobacco, licorice stick, a discreet hint of saffron, black olive, a subtle hint of nutmeg and pepper (in the background). The palate is fruity, balanced, well-built and offers suavity, a small fat, gourmandize, a fine roundness, a fine incisive side, a fine acidulous frame as well as a fine concentration. On the palate this wine expresses notes of juicy / crunchy wild red berries, crunchy raspberry and small notes of juicy / fresh blackberry associated with touches of violet,…

Martin’s Lane Winery Fritzi’s Vineyard Riesling 2017 Okanagan valley, British Colombia Martin Lane’s winery is a state-of-the art facility with a great attention to details. Everything in the winery is destined to let the terroir and single blocs expression shines, from the 6-level 100% gravity winery to the very delicate grape selection that can take up to three harvest to get the perfect ripeness. Fritzi’s vineyard is a tiny parcel right at the foot of a dormant volcano with partially quartz-based soil and good exposure. This Riesling spent 9 months on original yeast lees. On the nose, the wine is very floral and delicate with great freshness and a hint of petroleum. On the palate, it expresses a beautiful depth and flavors with fresh lime accent and a rounding wild…

2018 VINTAGE Château La Conseillante 2018 Pomerol The nose is elegant, full of control, aromatic and offers a very beautiful power (like a glove of silk), precision, a beautiful finesse of the intensity, a very beautiful fine grain and complexity. This wine should be decanted. It reveals notes of bright cassis, bright wild blackberry, small notes of black cherry, bright redcurrant as well as discreet hints of black plum, liquorice stick, tobacco, a subtle hint of cuben pepper and a discreet almost roasted hint. The palate is fruity, well-balanced, full of finesse and offers juiciness, freshness, minerality, straightness as well as a splendid control, a beautiful structure (full of delicacy), power (full of control) and a beautiful acidulous frame. On the palate this wine expresses notes of bright cassis, bright/fresh…

CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES Vignoble Art Mas 2019 Côtes du Rhône Villages, Visan (Organic) The nose is aromatic, elegant, fruity and offers a certain intensity. There are notes of Bigarreau cherry, blackberry and small notes of cassis associated with touches of small pulpy berries, lilac, cherry blossoms as well as hints of white pepper, laurel berries and a very discreet hint of dried garrigue. The palate is fruity, well-balanced, slightly tight and offers suavity, dynamism, gourmandize, a fine acidulous frame as well as a certain tension. On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy / juicy Bigarreau cherry, pulpy / juicy plum and small notes of pulpy raspberry associated with touches of juicy / fleshy red berries, touches of chocolate, black olive, olive tree, hints of spices, Cuben pepper…

TASTING BY JOANIE METIVIER: Domaine Paul Prieur & Fils Vendanges Entières 2017 Sancerre This Pinot Noir comes from the southern part of ”The Pichons” Lieu dit on Limestone clay. Nose of cherries, black fruits, vegetal notes and spices. On the palate, the attack is on freshness and intensity. It has a rustic character, coming from the depthy structure and earthy side. Score: 15.5+/20 (91/100) Domaine Paul Prieur & Fils 2018 Sancerre This Loire red wine has a fresh approach and a style on juicy, crisp red berries. Nonetheless, besides the young structure, it shows a good maturity of fruit flavors, a mineral frame and a solid acidity profile. Score: 14.75+/20 (89/100) Domaine Vacheron 2017 Sancerre This wine comes from a peerless collection of hillside vineyards around the town of Sancerre,…

CHAMPAGNE BLANC DE BLANCS Champagne Bollinger R.D. 2007 – Extra-Brut (disgorgement: 10/07/2020) The nose is elegant, fruity, pulpy and offers freshness as well as strength (in delicacy). It reveals notes of juicy pear, crunchy peach and small notes of peach blossoms, verbena associated with touches of ripe grapefruit, fine touches of crystallized mandarin, slight hints of zests, citrus flowers as well as discreet hints of dried apricot, buttered brioche, spices and a very discreet hint of fresh hazelnut. The palate is fruity, well-balanced and offers gourmandize, a small power / concentration (in finesse), a beautiful roundness (in finesse), a delicate acidulous frame, precision, suavity, a beautiful tension as well as delicacy. The attack is lively. The effervescence is very fine, delicate, precise, beautifully defined and discreetly tight. In the mouth…

The Domaine de Montcalmès, a family property, is one of the most famous estates in Languedoc. Located about thirty kilometers from Montpellier, the cellar is located in the town of Puéchabon. It was in 1998 that Frédéric Pourtalié decided to take over the family’s vineyard and made it take an important turn. Wishing to produce under his own label, he decided to no longer deliver his grapes to a local cooperative but to vinify them himself. Rich in his previous experiences with renowned winegrowers such as Alain Graillot (Crozes-Hermitage), Allary family (Domaine Oratoire St Martin) or Laurent Vaillé (La Grange des Pères), he soon raised the Domaine de Montcalmès to the rank of one of the most famous and qualitative wines of Languedoc. In 2012 he started a conversion to…

Sandrine Dovergne owner & winemaker of the Domaine de la luolle (Bourgogne, France) For us, wine is the link. Indeed we arrived at wine by the bottle! We created the La Luolle estate in 2017 while taking over vines organic since the beginning. The link was first established with the Côte Chalonnaise in Burgundy. The land becomes our land thanks to our efforts, our link with nature - sometimes harsh, sometimes complicit - and with its fruits. All the value of our wines lies in the quality of these links to the earth, to the elements, to people! In the vats and in the cellar, we are also linked to gestures and culture. We follow each cuvée, acting wisely between knowledge of the living and a little intuition. Then we…

MACONNAIS Domaine des As 2017 Mâcon Péronne The nose is relatively aromatic. It reveals notes of blackberry, lilac and small notes of small blue fruits associated with touches of rose, peony as well as a hint of crunchy strawberry and pepper. The palate is mineral and offers a small suavity, an acidulous frame, roundness as well as a certain fat. On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy / juicy cherry, crunchy strawberry and small notes of rose associated with touches of raspberry leaf, fresh / fleshy small blue fruits, fine hints of liquorice stick, varietal as well as a discreet hint of green cardamom, almond and an imperceptible hint of tonka bean in the background. Good length. Score: 14.75/20 (88-89/100) P. Ferraud & Fils 2019 Mâcon The nose…

CRUS CLASSÉS DU MÉDOC 2010 Château La Lagune 2010 Haut-Médoc, Cru Classé The nose is fruity, elegant, beautifully defined and offers a silky side, a small richness and intensity. It reveals notes of quite ripe blackberry, crushed strawberry and small notes of crushed cassis associated with small touches of crushed red-currant, lily, camphor as well as discreet hints of chocolate/cocoa, a subtle hint of tobacco, almond and an imperceptible hint of truffle. The palate is fruity, well-balanced and offers an acidulous frame, juiciness, gourmandize as well as a good definition, suavity, a certain purity, a fine straightness, a beautiful pulpy/ripe/juicy fruit, suavity and fullness. On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy blackberry, fleshy/juicy cassis and small notes of crushed strawberry associated with small touches of cherry, lily, chocolate/tonka…

WHITE WINES D. Guidal 2019 Condrieu The nose is elegant, aromatic, precise and offers a fine richness. It reveals notes of kumquat, juicy/pulpy vine peach, small notes of quince associated with touches of mesocarp, apple, fine hints of fresh apricot, dry citrus as well as discreet hints of lemon flowers, rosemary and garrigue. The palate is gourmand, elegant, racy and offers richness (full of control), a beautiful fat (full of control), justness, generosity, a fine acidulous frame, complexity as well as deepness. On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy vine peach, crushed William pear, small notes of pulpy apricot associated with touches of kumquat, ripe mandarine as well as hints of lemon flowers, quenette, fine hints of lavender, rosemary, fine hints of racy mine-rality. Good length. A beautiful…

NAPA VALLEY Corison — Kronos Vineyard 2017, Cabernet Sauvignon St. Héléna, Napa Valley The nose is fresh, elegant and offers concentration (full of justness/control), power (full of finesse), a beautiful deepness as well as delicacy of grain, an aerial side and harmony. It reveals notes of violet, iris, pulpy strawberry, small notes of juicy blueberry associated with touches of pulpy cherry, crushed cassis, rose as well as hints of racy minerality, fresh local grove, discreet hints of small berries, Sichuan pepper and a subtle hint of toasted. The palate is fruity, fresh, mineral, well-balanced, racy, full of finesse, aerial and offers a beautiful definition, gourmandize, an acidulous frame, suavity as well as tension, richness (full of control/finesse), an aerial side, freshness and precision. On the palate this wine expresses notes…

Clos Mogador Manyetes 2015 Priorat 100% Cariñena, from a warm Licorella Vineyard in the Gratallops zone, this wine is always an example of freshness, but also shows the warmth of where it comes from. There’s layered aromas of ripe mixed berries and deep dark plums as well as some graphite, wet slate, chocolate and licorice notes. The complexity is amplified by the freshness of the acidity. Score: 16/20 (92/100) Clos Mogador 2016 Priorat 2016 was an unusually fresh vintage for Clos Mogador. It’s fine-tuned and refined, with youthful blackberries, cherries, vanilla and spices fragrance. There is a strong mineral sensation on the palate along with texture and depth. The palate is quite powerful and intense, with bold volume, but also a delicate restraint that brings elegance and balance especially with…