Chateau des Cabans

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Chateau Dutruch Grand Poujeaux

Chateau Dutruch Grand Poujeaux takes its name from the proprietor who established the vineyard in about 1850. It was from his descendants that François Cordonnier, my uncle, bought the property in 1967.
With the help of the experience and knowledge acquired in the numerous French vineyards which he had managed, one of them the famous Chateau de Chenonceau in the Loire, he imposed a personal style on the management of the vineyard and the vinification of its wines, looking for power and elegance.

Since 1993 my wife and I enthusiastically continue the work of my uncle and aunt.

As the chateau’s name indicates, our vineyard is situated in Grand Poujeaux, a hamlet of Moulis-en-Médoc well-known for the exceptional qualities of its terroirs.

The parcels of land which make up the vineyard are on the best terroirs, with Garonne gravel, on the Grand Poujeaux hillock. They are planted in Merlots, Cabernets Sauvignons and Petits Verdots according to the suitability of each parcel.

Recognized as a cru bourgeois right from the initial 1932 classification, our wine estate has a reputation for quality which comes from the excellence of its terroir and the remarkable ageing potential of its wines.

We attach great importance to the enthusiasm of our workers for their job. Many of them came to work in the vines or the chais from other activities.

The dedication and quality decision making or our team working both in the vineyard and in the cellar have elevated Château Dutruch Grand Poujeaux to the level of « a reference wine estate of the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation ».

Terroir : our vineyard is composed of 30 hectares, most of them situated on the Garonne gravel’s hill, which makes the reputation of the wines of Grand Poujeaux.

The gravel is very beneficial for the grapevines for the following reasons:

It ensures an excellent natural drainage and acts as a natural heat reflector from the sun on the grapes. It allows roots to penetrate deep in the earth, revealing the varying characteristics of the layers of the terroir. Furthermore as a meager soil, gravel causes the vines to produce fewer but more concentrated berries, which is good for the quality of the future wines.

Grape varieties : our plots are planted in Médoc’s traditional grape varieties:
- the Merlot, for the roundness and the charm;
- the Cabernet-Sauvignon for the strength and the ageing potential;
- the Petit Verdot for the firmness, characteristic of a good Médoc wine.
The average age of the vines is about 30 years, which contributes to the tight structure of our wines.

Work in the vineyard. All of our choices in the conception and the continuing maintenance of the vineyard are focused on decreasing the yields and increasing the quality of the production.

The high plantation density (from 8,500 to 10000 vines pro hectare) ensures fewer but higher quality fruit on each stock. The pruning is short and we’ve chosen the rootstocks for their small production and their natural ability to ripen early.

The “green labour” (ploughing of the soils, leaf thinning, green harvest...) that we carry out all year also contributes to our focus on excellence.

Moderate yields indeed guarantee an early and good ripening of the grapes and gives the harvest a better resistance to humidity.

We approach vinification, with modern equipment, with respect for the tradition of the great Médoc wines.

Our aim is to extract the potential in the grapes with finesse, without insisting on extraction, to bring out the complexity of our terroir.

It also seems important to us to respect the character of each vintage rather than to try to make the same wine each year.

Our wines are aged in oak barrels for 12 months.

We have found that the ideal balance between fruit and wood is obtained by renewing a third of the barrels every year. In this way the “wood” elements (coffee, tobacco, spice, vanilla...) sublimate, without crushing it, the freshness of the fruit and the mineral quality of our terroir.

Our philosophy : CLASSIC wines with CHARM and PERSONNALITY
CLASSIC: the finesse and elegance of a great terroir;
CHARM: the combination of roundness and fruit which the balancing of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon gives;
PERSONNALITY: complex wines with distinct evidence of their origins which reserve delightful surprises after ageing.

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Domaine Rondeau

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Toques et Clochers

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Chateau Haut-Bana

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Remoissenet

Remoissenet Père et Fils, is an old and established name that is slowly and quietly carving out a new name for itself – as a producer of good reds!

Founded in 1877, this unusual and interesting company was run for about 30 years by Roland Remoissenet from a stunning 14th century building in Beaune – externally there is not much to see, but on the inside it’s very special. Roland Remoissenet’s last 10 years at the helm were hardly the zenith of quality wine production, so in 2005 when, at the age of 75 he decided to retire, the company was sold to the New York financiers and developers Edward and Howard Milstein, together with Maison Louis Jadot and Toronto-based Halpern Enterprises. It was expected that the change should herald an improvement! It was reported that the Milsteins took the majority shareholding on a total sale price of around €10m. Included in the sale, was the firm, its vineyards and cellars – and what cellars – it was reported that over a million bottles of Burgundy from 1950 to 1990 were included. If so, the purchase price was rather cheap – that’s only 10 Euros per bottle!

Remoissenet Today
Apparently Roland Remoissenet was a dashing figure with quite a personality – by all accounts a hard act to follow – the new face of Remoissenet today is Bérnard Repolt. Bérnard, who was previously president of Louis Jadot is an engaging and witty character to spend time with and provides all the anecdotes that you can never print, I think he is probably a more than adequate replacement for Roland! Bérnard is responsible for well over 200,000 bottles per year of production – and of course those cellars.
The content of the cellars is impressive, but it’s not all diamonds; amongst the old Richebourgs and bottles of Roumier Bonnes-Mares and de Vogüé Musigny bottled by Remoissenet there are even interesting large-format bottles of 1978 bourgogne, but you might also find walls of 1992 Santenay which I assume is a little more difficult to place! There has been some criticism of older wines for their apparent youth and inferences that the bottles are not 100% pinot noir. Bérnard is very open when discussing this point, and although he was never part of the team that either made or procured the wines, he makes two simple points:

1. The wines are what they are, and reflect the era in which they were produced – but no-one around today could tell you anything about what was put into the bottles.

2. The important fact to consider for those that claim the wines ‘too young to be believed’ is that the wines have only ever rested in one place since they were made – storage has been impeccable.

This market for older wines is very different to that of their normal annual production; bottles are mainly purchased by enthusiasts rather than merchants, but Bérnard reports the trade is interesting and that he is comfortable with selling around 3-4% of these reserves per year. I have heard from various sources that the wines vary from amazing to so-so, but clearly even if the contents are only ‘interesting’, a large part of the experience comes from thinking about what was happening in the world when those grapes were harvested in 1959 for instance…
The amount of wine sold by Remoissenet is out of all proportion to their sales of older bottles and their vineyard holdings, which amount to just about 2.5 hectares of Beaune 1er crus, including Marconnets, Bressandes and Grèves. Volume is augmented by significant négoce purchases, but also Remoissenet exploit the Lanvin family holdings in the Côte de Nuits and represent Baron Thénard for the majority of their Montrachet and other holdings. Thénard are one of the largest owners of Montrachet, so you could almost call Bérnard Repolt Mr Montrachet!

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Domaine Georges Vernay

GEORGES VERNAY
created the family business with 1.5 hectares of AOC Condrieu “ Coteau du Vernon “ vineyards.

Towards the end of the 40’s, GeorgesVernay became one of the most ardent defenders and saviours of the Appellation, then about to disappear.

Today, the vinification is assured by his children Luc and Christine Vernay and the estate extends over 16 hectares :

- 7 hectares in the appellation Condrieu, of which 3 hectares are old vines producing 2 prestigious vintages matured in barrels: the “Coteau de Vernon” and “Les Chaillées de l’Enfer”.
Both vintages represent the quintessence of Condrieu’s Viognier vine. These exquisite incomparable white wines with their golden colour are of great nobleness, full-bodied, unctuous and persistent.
- 3 hectares of Côte Rotie
- 1,5 hectares of Saint Joseph
- 5 hectares of local wine Syrah and Viognier

Whatever the classification, the wines are always delicious and of the highest quality.

White Wines
Our white wines exclusively come from the Viognier vine, characterised by its apricot and white peach flavours and its fragrance of violet. Its soil is very present in our local wine “Viognier”, and with more finish and more delicacy in our “Condrieu”. Product of old vines and matured in barrels, the vintages “Les Chaillées de l’Enfer” and in particular the “Coteau de Vernon”, rich and complex, can be tasted over the next 3 to 10 years.

Red Wines
Our red wines are all from the Syrah vine. The local wine is fruity and the “St. Agathe” and “St. Joseph” are more tannic. The “Côte-Rotie”, with 10% of Viognier, is structured, fine and elegant from the Côte Blonde type and offers great ageing potentials from 5 to 15 years (and more according to the year).

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Domaine de la Desoucherie

Located on the highest peak of the commune of Cour-Cheverny, 9 Km from the chateau of Chambord and 5 Km from the Cheverny one, the vineyard of la Desoucherie can prevail upon a more than a century long family history which still perpetuates today…
The sustainable cultivation employed on the whole of the vineyard carries on the tradition towards only one aim: irreproachable quality recognized by all..

By deciding to « live in AOC », the young vintners of the Cheverny and Cour-Cheverny denomination have bet on the future to their level of demand. Today, the quality level of the production has fulfilled their expectations.

Newly-come in the vast family of appellations of Franc, the Cheverny AOC based on the baptismal founds en 1993, can nevertheless be proud of glorious ancestors.

Implanted as early as the middle-age, the vineyard stretched between Loire and Sologne sparked off interest from Francois 1er who, audacious in viticulture matters, endowed all his domains with vineyards. He decided one day that his wine would be produced around the palace he charged Leonardo da Vinci to build for him at Romorantin.

Thereby, in 1519, by royal decision, 80 000 vine feet were brought from Burgandy to be planted. It is finally at Chambord that Francois 1er will have an abode built worthy of his influence, but the vine feet, as for them, prospered on their new soil as if destined to follow their royal master.
As time passed, this grape variety adapted itself so well to the soil that it lost its original name to become Romorantin, fighting the territory to its renowned elders, Chardonnay and Pinot (Auvernats white and black), Sauvignon (Surin) and impacted forevermore the history of the vineyard.

Today, this grape variety which we cannot find in any other land, comprises a real appellation at the heart of the appellation.
Original wine with limited quantities, the Cour-Cheverny is very prized by lovers of rare vintages.

Nested in the heart of the Val de Loire, the vineyard of Cheverny share its prestigious territory with Castles evocative of glory and wealth: Blois, Chambord, Cheverny, Beauregard, Villesavin, Fougeres, Troussay…. The charm of the environment seems to confirm the nature of this reduced but active and structured grape variety, which has succeeding in building up and identity and defining its production criterions in total freedom.

Very active, the vineyard of Cheverny, on the markets as soon as the the 14th century, will establish its reputation by the primacy of its whites and guarantee its own development and increase its exportations in the following centuries. The appellation produces smooth and fruity whites and reds, sought after of their qualities in phase with our era: tender wines, convivial, without excess.

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Domaine Courbis

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Domaine Brusset

In the heart of the Côtes du Rhône region, between Orange, Vaison la Romaine and Bollène, the Brusset estate owns several vineyards.

Les Travers
Situated on the slopes of Cairanne and in the “Plan de Dieu” (38 ha).

Le Grand Montmirail et Les Hauts de Montmirail
Terraced vineyards at the foot of the rugged “Dentelles de Montmirail” in Gigondas (19 ha).

Les Coteaux des Bruyeres et le Brejas
Located in Mondragon. Côtes du Rhône (23 ha).

Les Boudalles
Located in Carpentras. Côtes du Ventoux (5 ha).

ll these vineyards are planted with noble grape varieties : Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Carignan for red and rosé wines. Clairette, Bourboulenc and Marsanne for white wines. 100% pure Viognier for special reserves.

The diversity of vineyards, either by their soil or their grape varieties, enables us to obtain a complete range of high-quality products which, in addition to the “Gigondas Traditionnel” and “Les Hauts de Montmirail” matured in new oak-casks, also include the Cairanne red, white and rosé, a Viognier, a Côtes du Rhône, a Côtes du Ventoux, a Natural Sweet Wine made from Grenache, a Gigondas Marc.

These wines are regularly rewarded in different national and international competitions (more than 180 medals today). 

About the Winemakers

Daniel and Laurent Brusset

On this family estate established in 1947, the Brusset family has managed to combine the “savoir faire” of traditional winemaking with the new techniques introduced by each generation. The founder, André Brusset (1910-1999), his son Daniel, and his grand-son Laurent : three wine-growers and wine-makers with a variety of experiences have all contributed to the distinctive character of the Domaine Brusset, where three complementary generations together have achieved the best results.

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Comte de Laube

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Chateau de La Roulerie

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Chateau de Panigon

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Etablissements Thunevin

Château Valandraud is the final achievement of an enormous sum of extremely hard, meticulous work on the part of a couple with a passion for wine, Jean-Luc Thunevin and his wife Murielle Andraud. Having become highly successful wine merchants in the Saint-Emilion area, their burning ambition was to own their own vineyard and make their own wine.

Little by little, they bought up several parcels of vines. The name of the growth is both geographical (Val for Vale of Fongaban) and sentimental (Andraud being Murielle’s name). That was how Château Valandraud came on being.

Their policy is therefore to look after the vines, some thirty years old, with the same meticulous care always keeping to the authentic nature of things. Thanks to their intense devotion to hard work, Jean-Luc And Murielle Thunevin manage to accomplish an incredible amount of manual labour, from the winter taks right up to the harvest, everything is done according to tradition yet at the same time employing modern methods.

The harvest is picked in only two days but it is done “in the family” using some thirty people who are friends as well as employees, even customers with a passion for wine lend a hand. A first selection is done in the vineyard to make sure only fully ripe grapes are picked.

Once they arrive at M Thunevin’s minute winemaking facilities, the bunches are again selected on a sorting table before being stemmed manually. The next stage consists of bursting the grapes in a hand-crusher. The must obtained, which is very rich and pure, is then run off by “muscular” gravity into the oak fermentation vasts.

Once the alcoholic fermentation is over, the “nouvelle cuvée” of Valandraud is drained into new oak barrels for the malolactic fermentation. Although this rare way of working is expensive and also rather a dangerous exercice, M Thunevin does not hesitate to take the risk in order to perfect his wine.

Click here to visit Jean-Luc Thunevin’s Blog.

About the Winemakers

Jean-Luc and Murielle Thunevin

Jean-Luc Thunevin became a “star” of the wine world within less than a decade thanks to his very famous ‘garage wine’ Chateau Valandraud.

It might be a winetasting of Le Pin, a Pomerol made from a tiny vineyard that gave rise to his desire to make an exceptional wine too. Thanks to his passion for wine, his determination and his desperate eagerness, he could make his wish become real from the first vintage, in 1991, of his Chateau Valandraud.

This vintage notes the beginning of a wonderful adventure and a flashing success.

He inspired many winemakers and initiated numerous other ‘garage wines’. All these micro-cuvées realized from low yields produce concentrated wines.
Murielle, his wife, plays an important role in the success of this imposing wine. Indeed she brings the most detailed care to the vines: specific pruning adapted to each vine, deleafing to aerate the grape, green harvest to cut away the excess bunches and limit them to six for each vine-plant.

On his side, Jean-Luc Thunevin decides the harvest date once the grapes have reached the optimal maturity. For the winemaking, he adopted the Burgundy’s techniques of punching of the cap in the fermenting vat (pigeage) and stirring of the lies in the oak barrel in order to get the maximum extraction for his wines. He does no fining, no filtration, but racking barrel to barrel every three months.

Always trying to reach excellence, his work methods are extreme to produce stupendous wines: dark, ripe and opulent.

During those years of strenuous work, Jean-Luc Thunevin has been developing a know-how and proficiency that he shares with many other properties like Chateau Fleur Cardinale (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru), Château Haut-Mazeris (Fronsac et Canon Fronsac), Chateau Andréas (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru), Chateau Balestard (Appellation Bordeaux), Marojallia (Appellation Margaux) to quote only few of them. Furthermore, Jean-Luc Thunevin bought Château Bellevue de Tayac, Margaux.

Click here to visit Jean-Luc Thunevin’s Blog.

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Chateau Fantin

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Chateau D’Arveyres

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Chateau de Valmengaux

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Cros De La Mure

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Domaine Sainte Croix

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Chateau de Capitoul

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Medici Vineyards (Newburg, OR)

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Sparkling Wines - Champagne

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Chateau Valmengaux

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Chateau L’Archange

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Linden Vineyards

Linden Vineyards is a 5,000 case winery and vineyard situated on the Virginia Blue Ridge, 65 miles west of Washington, D.C. Jim Law, with family help, purchased what was then an abandoned hardscrabble farm in 1983. The first 6 acres were cleared and prepared for planting. The 1985 planting was from vines mostly from cuttings and grafts propagated by our own nursery the previous year. They included Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Vidal and Seyval. Our first vintage was 1987 and the first release and opening of the winery was 1988.

Linden Vineyards Ltd. is the winery operation. In 2002 they built their ‘dream’ crush/press facility that they believe will put them in the position to make great wines. New sorting tables in addition to gentler handling of grapes have already yielded wines with more purity and finesse.

Three vineyards supply all the grapes used to make Linden wines: Hardscrabble, the estate vineyard, 18 acres surrounding the winery; Glen Manor, 6 acres, 7 miles west of Linden, and Avenius, 5 acres, less than one mile north of Linden Vineyards. Our first love is the vines. As they begin to understand soil, site and vine relationships, they are replanting with more appropriate varieties.

Shari Avenius is Linden’s director and owner/winegrower of Avenius Vineyard. A New York native, she went to college in Virginia. Beginning in 1989 Shari’s background in laboratories and management has made Linden a well-oiled machine. Along with all her responsibilities at Linden, Shari planted her own eponymous vineyard in 1996. Dance, the cello, and gardening round out her life.

About the Winemakers

Jim Law

Jim Law is the owner/winemaker of Linden Vineyards and winegrower of Hardscrabble. An Ohio native, he was raised in the 1960’s and 1970’s by parents who loved to share their passion for food and wine. Study in Europe and two years teaching agriculture as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Zaire (Congo) led to the desire to grow grapes.

Jim’s first vineyard job was in Indiana where he traded work for a place to live. He then got a real job in Ohio at Chalet Debonne where he learned the nuts and bolts of grape growing and cellar work. In 1981 Jim was hired to start a winery in the Shenandoah Valley where he fell in love with the area and viticultural possibilities. In the mid 1980’s while establishing Linden Vineyards he consulted for other wineries and taught winegrowing at local Community Colleges. He is currently obsessed with growing the greatest wine and having the happiest vineyard. When not in the vineyard he enjoys cooking, eating in France, and writing for trade publications.

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Chateau De Gaudou

Cahors a noble and strong name, a city Cahors, a vineyard, and more importantly a Wine. These three represent the solid nobles of the history over the ages. These three represent the solid noble of the history over the ages.
The Cahors vineyards, approx 4000 hectares superbly isolated, at a equal distance between the Atlantic, the Pyrenees, and the Mediterranean, a breathtaking valley that follows the curves of the winding Lot river 2000 years of rich history of the wine of Cahors which obtained the distinction AOC 30 years ago. The most beautiful hillsides gently attracting the sun which enable the sloping vineyard to drink in the sunshine and embracing the grapes with its warmth.

The majority of the vineyard is situated east or south facing gravel slopes. All of the vineyards have grass alleys and the leaves are thinned out wherever needed. All of the vineyards have grass alleys and the leaves are thinned out wherever needed. Environmentally conscientious using none abusing products and reasoned vineyard procedures. Environmentally conscientious using none abusing reasoned vineyard products and procedures. The grapes are selectioned whilst still on the vine and only the best are left to mature, until harvesting time this ensures the quality of the vintage. The grapes are selectioned whilst still on the vine and only the best are left to mature, until harvesting time this ensures the quality of the vintage. The medals achieved are due to these methods. The medals are achieved due to these methods.

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Domaine Jean Vullien & Fils

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Domaine Quenard

The vineyard Chignin, located 10 kms south of Chambery, is characterized by its clay and limestone hills well exposed, as well as by its magnificent site of the towers of the Middle Ages. For decades, the family Quénard “said Cardin” cultivate the vine.

The area currently has a dozen hectares extends towers at the foot of the ancient fortress. Jean-François Quénard inspired by traditional methods transmitted by successive generations. He watches over respect for the land, farming practices and vinification, enhanced by new techniques. Each year the wines of the area are rewarded by numerous medals and cited in the restaurant guides.

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Domaine La Bastide St Dominique

Discover La Bastide Saint Dominique in the heart of Provence, between the crazy bouts of the Mistral and barely tolerable summer heat. Launched by Gerard and Marie-Claude Bonnet in 1976, the vineyard is located in a former chapel from the 16th Century on the hills of Chateauneuf du Pape. It is in this unique setting that Gerard and Marie-Claude Bonnet, now joined by their son Eric, vinify their whole production.

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Domaine Font Sane

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Domaine Frederic Mabileau

“With 27 hectares in production, you have to pay attention to the smallest detail and be convinced that nothing is left to chance...”
Frederic Mabileau

A Soil Personality

It is the earth made up of mostly sand and gravel that gives wines from St. Nicolas de Bourgueil their fruity and floral character. The gentle slopes give birth to wines which are more opulent and structured. The neighboring Bourgueil shares its soils with more clay thus creating a more fleshy wine.

The King of the Vine and His Prince

It is the Cabernet Franc that wins without dispute, but the Cabernet Sauvignon also lends its charms to our cuvee from Anjou.

Mature Vines

A large portion of our vines are between 35 and 50 years old which allow us to benefit from their deep root system drawing from the very heart of our soils.

Working the Vines

A quality wine starts at the vine; maintaining their height, systematic thinning in order to limit the yields, manual leaf removal in order to expose the grapes to the sun, having plentiful foliage in order to optimise photosynthesis, and working of the soils which forces the roots deeper so that they may best tap into the summer water supply.  All of these elements provide us with more fleshy grapes which ripen better and bring back into balance the acids and the many other elements that allow for a wine which is supple, round and concentrated.

Manual Harvesting

Wishing to respect the integrity of the grape from the vine to the tank, we harvest all of our vines by hand and inspect the grapes on two consecutive sorting tables, before and after the de-stemmer.The final step taken to reduce any extraneous abuse to the grape is seen with the use of conveyor belts to move them from last sorting table to the tank. The quality of the grapes is preserved during this gentle treatment which allows only entire fruit to enter into the tanks.

About the Winemakers

Frederic Mabileau

Frederic Mabileau operates a 27 ha domaine with the majority of the vines concentrated in St Nicolas de Bourgueil. Frederic is of a winemaking family, his father, Jean-Paul, having been proprietor at Domaine du Bourg. Some of these old family vineyards have recently been brought back into the Mabileau family, as Frederic, with wife Nathalie, is determined to expand and improve his domaine. He manages his vineyard with a great consideration for the soil, the environment, and the quality of the fruit that results. The vines, predominantly Cabernet Franc, are largely Guyot trained, see leaf thinning as required, are interplanted with grass to encourage the vine roots deeper into the soil, and are hand-harvested.

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Domaine Pinard Vincent

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Domaine Vincent Ricard

Not far from Saint Aignan sur Cher in Touraine , on the other side of the Cher river, lies the Domaine Ricard . It is actually very close to Thésée . Its vineyards are on a southern exposition.

About the Winemakers

Vincent Ricard

Vincent Ricard began his activity in 1999 but he has generations of winemakers behind him : His grandfather was one of the 3 associates who created the Oisly-Thésée wine-coop . He now works on 14,5 hectares . Was working on 17 hectares not long ago but he views himself ideally with a 12-13 hectares vineyard . It is a surface that can be handled, quietly and seriously, as needed for the type of work in the vineyard he does : Earthing down under the rows, keeping grass and weeds between them, meticulous pruning . His serious work in the vineyard, at the harvest, and when maturing the wines, has brought him beautiful results that led to recognition worldwide . 65 % of his wine is for export ( U.S. : Petit Pois Corp ) .
Most of the vineyard is in Sauvignon, with small surfaces of Gamay, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Cot ( Malbec ).

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Domaine Crochet

Robert and Marie-Solange are descended from two families with long associations with Bué, a village 4km from the town of Sancerre itself and with a great and long standing reputation for producing some of the appellations best wines.

As far back as the 11th century Augustine monks recognized the superiority of the stretch of slopes on the edge of the village known as Le Chene Marchand.

Domaine Crochet is a small, family run producer with a respect for the best of traditional methods such as hand picking and selection at harvest. They are keen to embrace technology however where it gives them advantage and the wines are fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel vats.

The resulting wines are intensely flavored with crisp, refreshing acidity and great length. A proportion of the vineyards is planted with Pinot Noir which produces a fragrant, elegant dry red wine with flavors of raspberries and summer fruit.

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Domaine De La Chauviniere

The cellars of the Domaine occupy an excellent site, on a height overlooking the valley of the Maine river. At a time in their long history, they were used as a rest house by the missionaries of the Communauté de Saint-Clément, before becoming a centre of the jansenist doctrine. This religious living included vines and a mill. The legend claims that, in 1710, Father Grignon de Montfort enjoyed returning every evening to La Chauvinière, where he appreciated the location and the quiet. Muscadet Sèvre et Maine has been matured in oak casks for many generations in the caves of this monastery.

Clos les Montys, a very attractive chateau vineyard extending over 10 hectares, lies on the commune of Haute-Goulaine, and has a long history

It covered 5 hectares in 1946.
We now manage 38 hectares of Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur lie, most of which lies in the near vicinity of the Domaine.

The terroir is unique. It is granite based (granodiorite with biotites and hornblende) called “Granit de Château-Thébaud”. This only occurs in one very localised area (4%) in the Muscadet vineyard. These granite terroirs, which are extensively weathered guarantee both an excellent natural drainage and an perfect rooting environment for the vines. The aspect of the slopes and hillsides overlooking the Maine river or along streams is equally favourable, especially from the thermal viewpoint.
It ensures that the grapes mature in optimum conditions enabling us to produce excellent quality wines.

Le Clos les Montys, its exceptional aspect and terroir (top soil strewn with sandstone over a bedrock of amphibolite and metagabbro) enable the vine to mature very early. Paradoxically, this so-called “green rock” terroir produces grapes with a thick skin which can be picked fairly late.

The vine we use is the Melon de Bourgogne, and the planting density is the traditional figure of 7000 plants per hectare.

The pruning of the vine is very important. We have opted for the Guyot nantais principle, with three canes and one shoot. The pruning governs the number of grapes produced, here it gives a production averaging 45 to 55 hectolitres per hectare. It should be balanced and reasonable to ensure the longevity of the plant. Our vines are 45 year old on average, some are over 90 year old.

Eight hectares of our vines are espaliered so that more leaves are exposed to the sun rays. This ensures the mature grapes a higher sugar content. The quality of the picking and the phytosanitary condition of the vine leaves must be impeccable if we are to produce a quality product. We are therefore most particular about protecting our vineyard.

Our wines are managed along integrated principles, we are particularly careful to protect the environment. This involves adhering to stringent regulations the implementations of which is checked and guarantied by a label:
TERRA Vitis, “Production based on observation and respect”.

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Domaine De La Dourbie

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Benoit Lahaye

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Vve Fourny & Fils

Since the 19th century, the Clos Notre-Dame has belonged to the family. Its name stems from the old abbey which was built outside Vertus, after the invocation of Notre- Dame, following the fire in 1167 which destroyed the whole village.

There are only a few Clos in Champagne. To deserve the name, the vineyards must be surrounded by walls. But it is really the special characteristics of the land of the Clos (the composition of the soil and the orientation to the sun) which make it really special. The previous generations had already noticed the exceptional qualities of the Clos.

The vines were planted many years ago in solid chalk, facing south-east. Protected by an enclosure, it enjoys a sort of micro-climate providing an optimum maturity for the grapes.

The wines from this Clos used to be selected in the blends of the House vintage wines. Only in the early nineties did they decide to separate the wines produced in this plot and to produce a few hundred bottles, when Nature is generous.

Kept for almost a decade in our cellars, this exceptional Champagne expresses all the character and personality of this plot: a great finesse, a lot of elegance, minerality and freshness, complex and richly mixed aromas.

About the Winemakers

Charles-Henry and Emmanuel Fourny

Passionate about our land cultivated by our ancestors since 1856, we produce Champagnes from grapes grown in Premier Cru de Vertus, a village located in the south of the famous Côte des Blancs.

Madame Veuve Fourny has shared with us her traditional know-how, as well as old vineyards including the famous Clos, Faubourg Notre-Dame.

Partners and complementary, from our personal experiences, oenology and international trade, we want to continue today our attachment to traditional values.

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Domaine Rolet

With its 60 hectares distributed over the best hills of the Arbois and Cotes du Jura AOC vineyards, the Rolet Estate is the second largest wine-growing concern in the Jura.

36 hectares of Arbois AOC on the Arbois and Montigny communes where Poulsard red vine varieties on blue and red marls are dominant, Trousseau on the thick gravel soils, especially warm ground, 35 hectares where young plants are placed side by side with the first plantations of the Estate, nearly fifty years of age in the famous places of “Gaillard, Chagnon, l’Euvrin, Vauxelles, Chateau-Gimont, le Moulin” in the Montigny commune and “Montesserin” in Arbois.

24 hectares in Cotes du Jura AOC where white vine varieties are dominant, Chardonnay and Savagnin, on very specific native soils with liassic gray marls of Voiteur and to a lesser extent, Poulsard and Pinot Noir on the steep foothills of the Grandvaux in Passenans.

The complexity of such a diversity of vine varieties is the result of our permanent concern for finding the best combination of soils, under-soils and vine varieties.

A Family

An Estate which reflects the image of an ever-changing Jura and family enterprise, this Estate was created in the early 1940s by Desire Rolet. Today, his children have taken over and share the various responsibilities of the management of the Estate, Bernard and Guy take care of the vines and vinification; Pierre and Eliane are in charge of marketing, each one of them working with a view to the final objective of a winegrower: the passion of obtaining, depending on the vintage, the quintessence of the grape knowing that wine starts being made in the vineyard.

With modern air-conditioned winemaking plant where stainless steel vats, new barrels and oak casks are next to each other, from grape picking to bottling, we apply all of our know-how to the making of highly renowned vintages.

Vine varieties on the Estate: Chardonnay: 34%; Savagnin: 21%; Poulsard: 21%; Trousseau: 10%; Pinot Noir: 13%.

The deliberate and patiently carried out selection of balanced vine variety stock on the most favorable soils in Arbois as well as Cotes du Jura AOC enables us to offer a complete range of the wealth of our native soils, pioneers in the Jura of typical red and white wines produced from a single vine variety which complement the traditional vintages.

White Arbois Chardonnay: native of Burgundy, it found in the Jura another friendly soil since the XIVth Century, classical vintage of great white wines; its aging in new casks gives it lingering fragrance and vanilla aroma. Lasting from 10 to 15 :years, with age it acquires nobleness and character. Served cool, it admirably accompanies entrees, seafood and fish dishes.

Cotes du Jura Chardonnay: aged for 21 months in casks having contained wine in order to thoroughly enhance the firm personality of the Cotes du Jura, it is a Chardonnay with a very personal native tang of flint stone and roasted almonds. Served at cellar temperature, it is best with pates, hot fish dishes and smoked cold cuts. It can be kept from 10 to 15 :years.

Arbois and Cotes du Jura Chardonnay-Savagnin: after 30 months of aging in casks, a happy mixture of the fullness and subtlety of Chardonnay and of the complexity of the Savagnin which gives it body and its so characteristic walnut aromas; very typical wines to be served at 14°C approximately and uncorked well in advance, they go marvelously well with seasoned dishes, such as fish, sweetbreads and poultry in cream sauces, seafood croustade and cheeses. It can be kept for 12 :years and more.

Arbois Rose: the only Rose wine to be obtained following a ten-day maceration, mainly of the Poulsard vintage. Fruity wine, it very rapidly acquires during aging an onion-skin bronze color. Served cool, it goes well with cold cuts, grilled meats and poultry dishes. It keeps for 7 to 10 years.

Arbois Red Tradition: vintage traditionally made of three vine varieties: Poulsard, Pinot and Trousseau. After aging for 18 months in casks before being bottled, it requires 2 to 3 :years in a cellar to reach its equilibrium, light red, served at cellar temperature, it may be drunk from beginning to end of any meal. It keeps for 8 to 12 :years.

Arbois Poulsard “Old Vineyards”: a choice of grapes from 20-year and more old vineyards, a light flavored and charming red wine with small red berry aromas. Rich when young, after aging it develops a cooked prune aroma. Served between 13 and 15°C, it goes well with pates, white meats, leg of lamb and roasts. It keeps for 8 to 12 :years.

Arbois Trousseau: the smallest red wine vintage of the Jura which is at its best on the native hills of Montigny, a very long keeping wine. Following aging for 18 months to 2 :years in casks, it develops complex aromas: leather and meaty flavor and after being bottled for several years, it is then fully developed and mushroom and forest aromas appear. It will go well with prepared meats, game, venison and cheeses. It should be kept for a while at room temperature. It keeps for 15 years and more.

Arbois Pinot: a good Jura version of this renowned vintage, vinous red with specific aromas acquired during aging in new casks, well known to wine tasters. Its mellowness and bouquet are appreciated by and large. It goes well with red meats and cheeses. Served between 15 and 16°C. It keeps for 8 to 15 years.

Arbois Yellow Wine: the King of wines and Wine of Kings; exclusively produced from the Savagnin vine variety. To reach its fullness which challenges the laws of analogy, it requires six years without topping up during which it acquires its unequaled walnut flavor. Bottled in a Clavelin (specially shaped bottle), it is a highly gastronomic wine which goes marvelously well with the dishes for the preparation of which it has been used: chicken with Yellow wine sauce and morels, veal meat and fish dishes with cream sauce, Franche-Comté cheeses. Served at 15°C, always uncorked in advance. It keeps for 100 years and more.

Arbois Straw Wine: selected crop from the nicest grape clusters, in general from Chardonnay and Savagnin, sometimes Poulsard, which are put to dry for 2 to 3 months on trays. The raisined grapes give a very small quantity of slightly liquorous wine with a 15 to 17% of alcohol, which is traditionally conditioned in half-bottles. It is drunk cool and goes well with foie gras, aperitifs and desserts. It keeps for 30 years and more.

White and Rose Sparkling Wines: produced in the Jura since the XVIIIth Century according to the Champagne method, called to-day “traditional method”. The whites are made with Chardonnay and the Roses with Poulsard. As time goes by, they have become very famous. Wines for celebrations, they will be served chilled as aperitif or at the end of a meal.

Macvin: Regional wine-grower aperitif; liquorous wine produced after adding old Jura brandy to grape juice. Its specific character has just been recognized by the granting of the guaranteed vintage label. Served iced for aperitif. It goes very well with melons and ice-creams and will be very much appreciated by ladies as a liquor.

Old Brandy and Old Fine (High Quality Brandy): the Brandy is obtained by distillation of destemmed grape brandy and the Fine by wine distillation. They are among the best French alcohols. They are aged in oak casks. Powerful and aromatic, they all have the personality of the native soil of the region. Served after remaining for a while at room temperature, they are very much appreciated.

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J. Simonin

Our family’s estate is situated in the southern part of Burgundy named Maconnais. I run the property together with my wife. The property offers a wide range of wines from the following appelations: Pouilly-Fuisse, Saint-Veran, and Macon. The “human” size of our winery allows us to operate and control the overall process i.e. vineyard management, winemaking and aging, as well as marketing and sales.

We hand-pick our grapes at the best time of maturity to ensure the perfect balance between sugar, acidity, and maintaining the freshness of our wines. Grapes are gently crushed in the pneumatic press. After settling the juice goes into Radoux oak barrels or temperature controlled stainless-steel tanks. The alcoholic fermentation is done by 100% natural yeasts.

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Tantara Winery

Since 1997, Tantara has been dedicated to producing the very finest Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah. Located on the beautiful Bien Nacido Vineyard in Santa Maria Valley (Santa Barbara County), our wines are sourced from top Central Coast growers and vineyard designate from vineyards such as Bien Nacido, Dierberg, Solomon Hills, Sanford & Benedict, Rio Vista, Talley Rincon, La Colline (Laetitia), Silacci, Pisoni, Garys’, and Brosseau.

In addition to the two acres of Bien Nacido G Block Pinot Noir, in 1999 we planted ten acres of Pinot Noir and two acres of Syrah which will bring their own vineyard holding to about fourteen acres when these new plantings come online in 2005. This fruit will then make up their estate bottling.

Because of their commitment to detail and the finite amount of fruit that meets our standards, total winery production remains small (approx. 7,500 total cases for the 2005 vintage). 

Winemaking

California’s Central Coast, from Santa Barbara to Monterey is blessed with ideal growing conditions for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. A long growing season with abundant sunshine for sugar production but enough cool nights and foggy mornings for color extraction and complex flavors, gives us the opportunity to work with some of the best fruit in the world. It is their goal that this bounty of nature be transformed into great wine.

For Pinot Noir, the fruit is de-stemmed and fermented in open top vats. They use both native yeasts and prepared yeast culture to add complexity. Punch down is by traditional methods. After the primary fermentation, the wine is pressed and put into French Oak barrels where it undergoes a secondary or malolactic fermentation. The wine is racked after ML is complete and left undisturbed until it is assembled and bottled, unfined and unfiltered. They believe this style of winemaking lets the fruit achieve its full potential, giving wine that is seductive in the short term, while allowing the development of aromatic and flavor complexities with bottle age.

For Chardonnay, the fruit is whole cluster pressed, the juice settled then put into French Oak barrels. Both primary and malolactic fermentation occur in barrel. The lees are stirred occasionally until ML is finished, then the wine rests sur lie (on its lees) for 10 - 12 months until it is bottled. The style of winemaking they employ for Chardonnay creates enough forward fruit to make it accessible upon release, but with a structure that allows it to improve and gain complexity in the bottle.

Origin of the Name

Tantara was the name of a horse owned by Bill Cates some years ago. After Tantara was retired to pasture, she defied predictions of an imminent demise and lived to a ripe old age. Horses symbolize elegance, grace and power and in Tantara’s case, long life, all of which are qualities they embrace for their wine.

About the Winemakers

Bill Cates and Jeffery Fink

Friends for over twenty years, Jeffrey Fink, an architect and Bill Cates, were both orignally from Virginia. They converged in California on a mission: to transform noble fruit into world class wine and have a good time doing it.

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Domaine Tortochot

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Domaine Gaston & Pierre Ravaut

Le Domaine Pierre Gaston and Ravaut is a family farm, located Ladoix-Serrigny in Côte d’Or. A 5 km from Beaune, at the junction of the coast of Beaune and the coast of nights, the area has taken its roots just at the foot of the famous hill of Corton.

Thus, over the 6 generations who have preceded Gaston Ravaut, currently Manager, the Area has gradually developed around the small hamlet of Buisson. With the beginning of its activity a few plots, the area now extends over an area of 16 hectares and produced some 80 000 bottles per year, which is still a small performance ...Quality requires!

50% of production is sold in France. Amateurs and professionals know this well: on the lookout for wines by the exceptional price / quality ratio, Domaine Pierre Gaston and Ravaut is an exclusive address in Burgundy.

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Domaine Patrick Miolane

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Domaine Felettig

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Domaine Bachelier Chablis

CHABLIS, one of the northernmost wine-producing regions of Burgandy, France, covers
about twenty different villages. The rocky ground in this area, rich with clay and limestone,
is admirably suited for vineyards. Chablis vineyards use Chardonnay vines, which produce
fine, dry white wines, characterized by a slight green tint, beautifully clear and fruity.
Chablis wines have widely enjoyed an excellent reputation since the ninth century.

At the Bachelier Estate, we have been wine growers from father to son for
several generations. Growing vines and fine wines is our passion
and we are thoroughly devoted to it. Our vineyard covers an area of
15 hectares with a range of various Chablis appelations, such as
Petit Chablis, Chablis and Chablis 1er Cru.

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Domaine Chevrot

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Domaine Francois Lumpp

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Domaine A Chopin & Fils

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Chateau De Chorey

Chateau de Chorey lies in the Cote de Beaune and in the city of Chorey les Beaune. Owned by the Germain family for generations, the Chateau owns vineyard sites in Meursault, Beaune, Per-nand-Vergelesses and in Chorey les Beaune itself.The domaine has existed for centuries, with a moat and towers dating to the 13th Century and the chateau reconstructed on the ruins in 1660. Chateau de Chorey wines are found in many of France’s best restaurants and always get high marks from Clive Coats and Alan Meadows. Benoit Germain assumed winemaking duties from his father Henri in 1993.

The Domaine: 17 ha

Winemaking: Organic since 2001, manual harvesting, 35hl/ha for the premier crus, 40hl/ha for the village wine.

About the Winemakers

Benoit Germain

Benoit Germain is the latest Germain to assume winemaking responsibility at the Chateau de Chorey. The Chateau was reconstructed in the 1660’s on a structure dating to the 13th century.  The Germains work 17 hectares of vineyard spread over the Chorey les Beaune appelation with land in Meursault and Pernand-Vergelesses.

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Chateau Bujan

In the heart of the Cotes de Bourg appellation, Chateau Bujan is a 16-hectare estate of vineyards located in the commune of Gauriac, at the very beginning of the Gironde estuary, at the localities of Bujan and Sartre.

The terroir of Bujan comprises a subsoil essentially made of molasses du Fronsadais (Tertiary Age) on which are built extremely heterogeneous soils, ranging from earth high in calcareous gravel (predominant), including areas where the parent rock reaches the surface and there is abundant iron slag.

The terroir of Sartre is made up of asteriated limestone (marine sedimentation from the Tertiary Age) on which less clayey soils are found, lighter, with at times with a significant sandy fraction.

Almost all the parcels are on hillsides with Southern exposure, which guarantees maximum sun and the perfect drainage needed by the vine to produce the best wines.

These terroirs results in a vineyard dominated by Merlots (60%), balanced by Cabernets Sauvignon (25%), completed by Malbecs (essentially 10% at Sartre) and Cabernets Francs (5%).

About the Winemakers

Pascal and Marielle Méli

Friendliness and a warm welcome are not insignificant assets at Bujan. Pascal, who arrived in the region in 1987, an agricultural consultant, and Marielle, architect by profession, had only one concern : to succeed at an activity that corresponded to their dearest aspiration. Today, their wines are appreciated and sought after in the four corners of the world.

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Chateau La Bonnelle

Château La Bonnelle, an award winning vineyard located east of Saint Emilion, in the commune of Saint Pey d’Armens, was started in the mid 19th century by the maternal ancestors of the Sulzer family. Olivier Sulzer, the fourth generation to steward this vineyard, prides himself on the use of traditional methods of vinification and for the exceptional character of the soil. After hand harvesting, the grapes undergo a malolactic fermentation in new oak barrels for 30 days, then are oak-aged for 16 months.

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Vignoble Klur Clement

The Klurs have not made history in the realm of Alsatian wine. The Klurs do not travel the world to passionately promote their wines. The Klurs humbly and sincerely do what the family has always done: make the best Alsatian wine that our terroir will allow and offer a warm welcome to their visitors.

Vines cultivated organically and biodynamically

Terroir. The uniqueness of Katzenthal is that it lies on a geologic fault that is 500 millions of years old. Their parcels of Wineck-Schlossberg and Steinacker are planted on two-mica granite, originating from the mother rock of the Vosges massif, at the head of the village and about 600 meters from the Vosges fault which is composed of alternating sedimentary soils like clay-limestone, mussel chalk (fossil-rich limestone), and the marl (lime-rich mud) at the base of the Hinterburg. Recognizing the value of these unique features, their ancestors chose to establish certain grape varieties on the heights and others at the head of the village so that each variety of subsoil and soil can best express itself in the grapes.

Organic farming. This relation between terroir and wine continues in the permanent care of the vines and the soils: they plant cover crops and till under the soil. For years they have used no treatments or synthetic fertilizer and they have developed a biodynamic compost in a partnership with other vignerons. They prepare infusions from nettles, horsetails, and willows for treating the vines; they respect the sowing schedule for working the soil and applying the biodynamic preparations to the vines. For maintaining biodiversity in a landscape which tends to favor monoculture, they are preserving their stone walls and hedges and planting fruit trees. All of these practices provide a refuge for numerous species whose utility is to maintain an equilibrium among the vines. They are trying to understand the functions of each component and to make the best judgment at the best moment.

Manual harvest. Almost all of their parcels are on hillsides, with some slopes attaining a 40% grade. All work is done manually and demands a real passion for the vine, without which these efforts would be difficult to accept. Their grape vines are on average 35 years old but in some parcels they have 55-60 year-old vines (their selection of “vieilles vignes” ). The grape harvests are manuel and convivial. For two to three weeks, by stages, their grapes are gathered in 1, 2, 3 passages for each parcel and/or by variety, at the height of their maturity.

Klur winery. The Klur vineyards originated from a long family tradition but have been dedicated to organic production since 1999. Today, we have 7 hectares of vines in 20 parcels located in Katzenthal mostly on granite soil, but also on clay-limestone soils. The Klur wines are considered to be characteristic, very personal, bearing the stamp of a certain type of Alsatian wine; clean, yet elegant, dry and fruity.

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J. Seigler Pere Et Fils

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